Magnolia Road Work Update: Project End Date Looks To Be In May

The Magnolia Road bridge replacement project’s end date has been stretched from mid-February to sometime in April or May, the Somerset County engineer said on March 17.

The delay is due to necessary preparatory utility work that has to be done and couldn’t be during the colder winter months, said County Engineer Matthew Loper.

The bridge was heavily damaged in Hurricane Ida, resulting in the $375,000 project to fabricate and replace the bridge’s culvert.

“Currently, the County is working with all utility companies to prepare for either temporary disconnects or temporary bypasses for when the damaged corrugated metal bridge sections are removed and the new precast concrete sections are installed,” Loper wrote in an email. “Underground utilities that require coordination efforts include: PSE&G Gas, PSE&G Electric, Franklin Township Water and Sanitary Sewer and Comcast.”

“Temporary work could not be done ahead of time due to winter demands (gas) and continuous pumping (sewer),” he wrote. “The fabrication of the precast concrete box culvert sections is nearly complete and will be ready for delivery at the time the utilities are cleared/prepared for the bridge repair work.”

“Outlook is to have utility work completed and start the bridge repair work within next three to four weeks,” he wrote, adding, “the (completion) estimate is 3 weeks of work after the utilities are cleared.”

Loper has said the County will look to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for reimbursement for the project.

Magnolia Road is closed to through traffic, and will be for the duration of the project, Township Manager Robert Vornlocker has said.

Your Thoughts

comments