Morris County Bridges: Work to Start on Russia Road Bridge in Jefferson
Published on June 30, 2020
Replacement Project to Start July 6 -- Detours Planned
Work is scheduled to start on Monday, July 6, to replace a bridge on Russia Road over Russia Brook in Jefferson Township.
The county owned span will be closed to motor vehicle traffic, with a 5-mile detour in place for up to nine months.
(JPG, 393KB) Russia Road Bridge
Detours signs will be installed to guide traffic on alternate routes in both directions, employing Dover-Milton Road, Legion Road, Berkshire Valley Road, and Ridge Road during the project.
(JPG, 25KB) Freeholder Stephen Shaw
"This is part of the county's continuing effort to maintain and upgrade our roads and bridges, to ensure that we provide a first-rate infrastructure for residents, businesses, and visitors,'' said Freeholder Stephen Shaw.
The $1.2 million project will include replacement of the existing 41-year-old bridge and both approaches. Sparwick Contracting of Lafayette Township, the lowest responsible bidder, will be the contractor on the project, which is being financed mainly through the state's Local Bridges Future Needs Program.
The current Russia Road bridge, which carries roughly 275 vehicles daily, was installed in 1979 and has had no major repairs done to it since that time.
The single span structure is comprised of precast concrete box beams with an asphalt wearing surface, supported by concrete abutments with spread footings. There are 6-foot long concrete wingwalls at all four corners of the abutment.
The bridge spans roughly 60 feet and has an out to out structure width of 32.3 feet, which carries two lanes of traffic in the northbound and southbound directions.
A 2019 county report lists the bridge in overall physical poor condition due to deterioration of the superstructure. The bridge suffers from severe spalling and failure of the sidewalls and top slab, with resulting holes and deterioration of the deck pavement. As a result, the county placed temporary traffic barriers along the west side of the bridge deck to restrict traffic over affected beams.
(JPG, 108KB) Top deck of Russia Road bridge, showing warning barrels
The new bridge structure will be comprised of concrete box beams that will support a cast-in-place concrete deck. The overall deck geometry will be similar to the existing structure.
During the design process, the county has been in close contact with oficials in Jefferson and state agencies, such as the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Division of Transportation Local Aid.