Bridge Replacement Work Begins In Branchburg

BRANCHBURG, NJ — The project to permanently replace the River Road Bridge over NJ TRANSIT tracks in Branchburg begins on Monday and is expected to be completed this summer, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials announced.

The $4.3 million state-funded project to repair this bridge will run Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

It will replace the existing three-span wooden bridge that carries a single-lane of traffic over NJ TRANSIT tracks with a new, wider single-span bridge. The new bridge will have two 10-foot-wide travel lanes with five-foot shoulders, according to NJDOT.

The new bridge will be constructed with concrete beams and a concrete deck with crash-worthy traffic railings, guiderail, and a picket fence. Roads leading up to the bridge will also be modified to allow large vehicles to make turns, according to NJDOT.

Severely deteriorated conditions caused the wooden bridge near the North Branch NJ TRANSIT Station to have an emergency closure in June 2019. As a result separate car and truck detours were in place.

The detours put in place in June will remain and local access will be maintained for residents and businesses on River Road and Central Place. Drivers will also still be able to get to the NJ TRANSIT parking lot at the North Branch Station.

The intersection of River Road and Central Place will be closed for short periods of time during the construction.

The following detours are in place:

Car Detour – River Road southbound

• Cars traveling on Station Road westbound to River Road southbound will be directed to continue on Station Road
• Turn left onto Readington Road
• Turn left onto Harlan School Road
• Turn left onto Stony Brook Road back to River Road

Car Detour – River Road northbound

• Cars traveling on River Road northbound will be directed to turn left onto Stony Brook Road
• Turn right onto Harlan School Road
• Turn right onto Readington Road
• Turn right on Station Road

Truck Detour – River Road southbound

• Trucks traveling on Station Road westbound to River Road southbound will be directed to continue on Station Road westbound
• Turn left onto Readington Road
• At the traffic signal, turn left onto Dreahook Road
• Dreahook Road will become Old York Road
• Follow Old York Road to Route 202

Truck Detour – River Road northbound

• Trucks on Route 202 northbound wishing to travel on River Road northbound will be directed to turn left onto Old York Road
• Old York Road becomes Dreahook Road
• At the traffic signal turn right onto Readington Road
• Turn right onto Station Road eastbound

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.