By John Burton
RED BANK – Work has begun on the construction of the new West Front Street bridge, connecting the borough and the River Plaza section of Middletown.
According to Laura Kirkpatrick, Monmouth County public information director, the contractor has started mobilizing for the project with work proper expected to begin after the Labor Day weekend.
“We’re expecting little impact on traffic,” she said.
The project calls for erecting a new bridge next to the aging existing one. That will keep the crossing open during most of the more than anticipated 2 ½-year, $12 million project.
The only time traffic should be affected is late in the project when the new structure is connected to the roadway. The detour around the site is expected to be about 120 days, Kirkpatrick said.
Ongoing construction on Newman Springs Road/Route 520, an alternate east-west route to West Front Street, is expected to be completed by late October, she said.
