RED BANK – Monmouth County will begin on or about April 1 a project to replace the bridge deck on the Newman Springs Road bridge (S-16) over the Swimming River just east of the Garden State Parkway.
The bridge will remain open to vehicular traffic throughout the project, but motorists should expect delays and plan alternate routes.
To complete the repair work and to continue to accommodate vehicle traffic on the busy stretch of road, the twin two-lane bridges will be reduced to two lanes, one westbound and one eastbound, during the entire eight month construction period. There will also be no access for pedestrians on the bridge during the eight-month project.
“Deterioration of the bridge surface over the past four decades has significantly advanced to the point that the entire deck needs to be replaced,” Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone said. “While the work is critical, we know that it is not practical to take this bridge out of use or create an effective detour.”
The existing concrete decks on both bridges will be completely removed and in their places will be new concrete decks of the same dimensions. Work will also be completed on each of the bridge approaches as well as the curbs and the sidewalks. When finished, all work will meet current design standards.
The project is expected to conclude in late November, weather permitting.
“The replacement work will extend the usable life of this 42-year-old bridge,” Arnone said. “This bridge is an important link that connects Red Bank and Tinton Falls to Middletown.”
The work will be conducted by Rencor, Inc. of Somerville for a total contract amount of $2,114,109. The state’s Transportation Trust Fund is providing the funding for the project.
