Nutley Bridge Work ‘Moving Forward,’ County Executive Says

NUTLEY, NJ — Work on the Centre Street Bridge in Nutley continues as Essex County attempts to replace the 122-year-old bridge with a “modern structure.”

On Saturday, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. reported that the project’s contractor is getting ready to install footings for the new bridge. Work began this summer and was slated to be completed by December 2018.

According to Essex County officials, the Centre Street Bridge has been classified as "structurally deficient" and a weight limit of 15 tons was recently posted because of its deteriorating condition. The original single span brick arch with ashlar spandrel walls and abutments was built about 1896. Reinforced concrete wingwalls were added to the structure in 1929 and the current concrete parapet and gabion wall were installed in 1965 after the north spandrel wall and parapet failed.

• See related article: Belleville Bridge Work Ends; Nutley Construction Begins

Officials said:

"The new structure will be constructed of a precast concrete arch with precast concrete wingwalls that will be supported by cast-in-place concrete footings and pedestals. There will be two travel lanes - one in either direction - for motor vehicles and sidewalks for pedestrians. The dimensions will be virtually identical to the original structure: a clear span length of 42 feet, a roadway width of approximately 46 feet, and a total bridge width of 66 feet."

Officials added:

"To maintain the historic character and existing setting in Essex County Yanticaw Park and Nutley Booth Park, the concrete color for the new bridge was set by the NJ Historic Preservation Office. A stone formliner will be used to construct the arch spandrel walls and the parapet walls, the existing ornamental fence will be removed and reset, and an interpretive sign will be installed to inform residents and visitors of the history of the crossing and the Yanticaw-Booth Historic District. In addition, 48 new trees will be planted in the adjacent parkland."

During construction, Centre Street will be closed to vehicular traffic and motorists will be detoured around the area via Joralemon Street and Vreeland Avenue. Pedestrian access across the Third River will be provided via a walking bridge in Yanticaw Park, Essex County officials said.

The posted detour around the Centre Street Bridge was developed in cooperation with the Nutley Police Department. The "local detour route" will take motor vehicles north along Franklin Avenue, turning onto Vreeland Avenue and then turning onto Passaic Avenue. The "truck detour route" is south along Franklin Avenue, turning onto Joralemon Street and then turning onto Union Avenue.

KS Engineers from Newark was awarded a professional services contract for $242,425 to design the project. Pillari Brothers Construction Corp. from Farmingdale was awarded a publicly bid contract for $2,879,230 to perform the construction work. The Essex County Department of Public Works will monitor the project. The bridge replacement is being funded with a grant from the NJ Department of Transportation's Local Bridges Future Needs Grant Program.

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Photos: Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr.