Route 35 over Cheesequake Creek restored
to four travel lanes in time for summer
Major rehabilitation work completed on both sides
of movable bridge
(Trenton) -
NJDOT officials today announced that major rehabilitation efforts have been completed on the northbound structure and Route 35 will be restored to carrying two lanes in each direction on the drawbridge over Cheesequake Creek connecting Old Bridge and Sayreville in Middlesex County.
The stage change is scheduled for Tuesday night, April 30, and will require overnight lane closures for restriping operations necessary to return Route 35 to maximum capacity by early Wednesday morning, May 1.
NJDOT’s contractor, Agate Construction Co., has completed the rehabilitation of the northbound side of the bridge. That work has required the full closure of that side of the bridge since October 2012 with two-way traffic shifted onto the southbound travel lanes carrying only one travel lane in each direction on Route 35.
Reconstruction of the southbound half of the bridge began in fall 2011 and was completed in spring 2012. NJDOT designed the bridge rehabilitation to be accomplished in stages, working on one side of the bridge at a time. Removing live traffic from the side of the bridge being worked on helped facilitate faster and safer rehabilitation operations.
The $25 million project has replaced the bridge decks, sidewalks, railings and median on the 70-year-old structure. The deck joints and structural steel elements have been repaired and the bridge was repainted. The out-dated electrical/mechanical systems on the movable bascule span were rehabilitated and new safety barrier gates installed. The project remains on schedule to be complete by fall 2013.
The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information.
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