Route 518 Bridge Work Slated to Begin Again on Monday
Officials say the Route 518 bridge replacement project will resume work on Monday, Nov. 21.
The bridge over the Delaware & Raritan Canal in Franklin will remain closed until the project is completed in early 2017.
NJDOT contractor Tarheel Enterprises Inc. will restart work to complete drill shafts necessary for new bridge piers. Work to reconstruct the bridge will include milling and paving the approaches to the bridge, removing and replacing the existing piers, installing new precast abutment caps on either side of the canal, replacing the support beams, and pouring a new stamped concrete deck that officials said will resemble wood to blend in with nature and D&R Canal.
The bridge, originally constructed in 1950, required a full closure so it can be reconstructed, because of severe deterioration of the support beams. Demolition work on the bridge began in July before projects were put on hold pending the renewal of the Transportation Trust Fund.
The NJDOT has designed work on the $2.75 million state-funded bridge replacement project to be performed in stages. The project is expected to be completed by early 2017.
Detours will be in place for the duration of the project.
Traffic from CR518 eastbound and Route 206 southbound:
– Motorists traveling eastbound on CR518/Washington Street will be directed to make a right onto Crescent Avenue
– From Crescent Avenue, right onto CR605/Kingston Road, which becomes River Road
– From CR605/River Road motorists will make a left onto Route 27 north and then continue back onto CR518/Georgetown Franklin Turnpike
Traffic from CR518 westbound:
– Motorists traveling westbound on CR518/Georgetown Franklin Turnpike will be directed to make a left onto Route 27 south
– From Route 27 south, motorists will be directed to make a right onto CR605/River Road, which becomes Kingston Road
– From CR605/Kingston Road, traffic will bear left onto Crescent Avenue
– From Crescent Avenue, motorists will continue onto
CR518/Washington Street
Traffic from Canal Road southbound:
– Motorists traveling southbound on Canal Road will be directed to continue straight past the bridge, which becomes Kingston Rocky Hill Road and then Laurel Avenue
– From Laurel Avenue motorists will make a right onto Route 27 and another right onto CR605/River Road
Traffic from Route 27 southbound to CR518:
– Motorists traveling southbound on Route 27 will be directed to go straight on Route 27 and make a right onto CR605/River Road, which becomes Kingston Road
– From CR605/Kingston Road, traffic will bear left onto Crescent Avenue
– From Crescent Avenue, motorists will continue onto CR518/Washington Street.
Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.
I’d love to know if the original swing bridge was still there in 1950
great news finally! thanks