Passenger Trains > Dismantling NJT's River Rd Bridge over the RVL

            Built in 1886 by an unknown builder, the River Road Bridge in North Branch (NJ) spanned NJ Transit’s Raritan Valley Line. In June, 2019 a DOT bridge inspection noted that steel components had “…rusted all the way” and if an overweight truck drove over the bridge it could collapse.  On June 5, 2019 this orphan bridge was closed as a result of NJT declaring it was “structurally deficient.” The decision was made to replace this orphan bridge with a new one. But first the old one had to be dismantled in a three day operation. That work would start on October 4th after NJT train 5757 made the last revenue run beneath this bridge.  On Saturday morning workers started to chain saw sections of the wooden deck for removal. When a section was done a crane would lift that piece and place it in a dumpster placed along the ROW. Steel plates were also in place to protect the rails. On Saturday night and Sunday morning the steel girders were removed and readied to be sectioned off for removal. By Monday morning NJT’s trains were once again making their runs over the RVL. What was unique about this particular bridge was the supports. NJDOT’s historic bridge data also notes that this bridge has “…cast-iron bents [that] appear to be monolithic castings and they are highly crafted. No other bents of this type have been identified to date.”  These bents have hexagonal columns, cross bracing and appear to be one-piece castings.  In the eastern piers, there is the number “10” while the number “12” is in the western piers; what those numbers reference is unknown. From what I heard those supports were spared from being cut up. More photos to follow...
 

---

---

---

The second photo shows all that remained of the bridge.

---

---

Interesting operation, nice photos.  How long will it take to put a new bridge in place?

Nathan

A freight railroad would have operated and 21' high car and cleaned the bridge out "accidentally."  

atsf121 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Interesting operation, nice photos.  How long
> will it take to put a new bridge in place?
>
> Nathan
The final cost is estimated to be seven million dollars for a two lane permanent bridge that is scheduled to open by May of 2020.
 

Did NJT own the old bridge ?
They closed it for rehab about 6 years ago for a few months. I remember hearing that if they had to do that again, they won't, they'll rip it down.

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Did NJT own the old bridge ?
> They closed it for rehab about 6 years ago for a
> few months. I remember hearing that if they had to
> do that again, they won't, they'll rip it down.
DOT’s deputy director of communications, Steve Schapiro stated, “It is known as an ‘orphan bridge’ because it lacks ownership from an entity. When the railroad (CNJ) went out of business, there was no organization left to maintain the bridge.”  Technically the bridge would become the responsibility of NJDOT, but they assigned its maintenance to NJT. 

Whatever belonged to CNJ should have gone to Conrail, then to NJT when they took over the Raritan Line.

Pattenburg Wrote:


> The final cost is estimated to be seven million dollars for a two lane permanent bridge that is scheduled to open by May of 2020.


Seven Million dollars for this bridge.  The few users will never have to pay for it -- even if you added up all the gas taxes they will pay over their entire lifetime..

Yet passenger transit is supposed to pay for everything out of the fare box.

Brian

It is a local road that this low density area can live without, and have for months. The township or county should pay for it if they want it. 

It is in the lower middle of this view: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5914679,-74.6821749,379m/data=!3m1!1e3



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/19 08:42 by joemvcnj.