New Road bridge reopened Tuesday

Bridge has a 10-ton limit and the lanes have an expanded width of 8 feet

   Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes and a New Road resident cut the ribbon Tuesday to officially reopen the bridge spanning Woodsville Brook on New Road.
   Mr. Hughes and resident Georgia Reed officiated at the reopening of the bridge, which had been restricted to one lane since sustaining damage due to stormwater in April 2006.
   "Thanks to the hard work of our county road crews, this bridge is once again open to two-way travel," Mr. Hughes said, noting area residents were pleased with the speed with which the reconstruction was completed.
   Mr. Hughes was joined by Mercer County Freeholder Elizabeth Maher Muoio, Hopewell Township Deputy Mayor David Sandahl, County Director of Transportation and Infrastructure Aaron Watson, Ms. Reed, and another New Road resident, Mary Ellen Iavarone, at the ribbon-cutting.
   Two of the four wingwalls on the bridge collapsed in April and the remaining two were washed out. County bridge maintenance crews installed guide rails to restrict the roadway to one lane, allowing local residents access to and from Route 518.
   The original bridge was constructed in 1915. However, Mercer County replaced the deck and repaired the wingwalls in 1962. In the past several months, Mercer County bridge maintenance workers removed the collapsed structure, poured reinforced concrete footings, abutments walls and wingwalls. They placed steel beams and stay-in-place forms to support the reinforced concrete deck. The county highway division repaired the roadway by installing new asphalt approaches. The bridge has a 10-ton limit and the lanes have an expanded width of 8 feet.