EATONTOWN – Plans have been approved to replace the deteriorating bridge that spans Wampum Brook. The bridge has been deemed in need of repair by the Monmouth County Division of Engineering.
The estimated $1 million project is expected to go out to bid this spring, and construction on the new bridge is planned to start in the summer, Mayor Gerald Tarantolo said.
“It’s probably getting weaker as we use it since it is in dire need of repair, but there aren’t any safety issues here,” Tarantolo said last week.
The bridge was constructed more than 70 years ago, according to Monmouth County Engineer Joseph Ettore, who said the bridge’s structure has deteriorated over time.
“The county inspects all bridges on an annual basis,” Ettore said. “We check for changes in existing conditions, and every two years we do a federally mandated written report, which documents the condition of the bridge.
“Those inspections are used to ensure the safety of all the bridges in Monmouth County,” he said.
Ettore explained that vehicles weighing more than 10 tons are restricted from using the current bridge, and this restriction prevents most emergency vehicles from accessing the bridge.
“A large fire truck could weigh as much as 40 tons,” Ettore said.
Plans calls for the new bridge to be able to support all civilian and emergency vehicles, Ettore said.
The bridge spans 17 feet over Wampum Brook and connects Lewis Street and Maxwell Road.
The project also includes constructing an improved culvert, which is a tunnel-like structure that channels the Wampum Brook under the bridge, Ettore said.
Tarantolo said that there has been some flooding near the brook and hopes that the new culvert will alleviate the problem.
The new culvert will improve the brook’s water flow, as well as help deal with the flooding, according to Ettore.
“This is one of the measures the county and borough are working together on,” Ettore said. “The county is also working on some potential channel improvements.”
A temporary culvert will be put in place to divert the brook’s flow around workers and equipment during construction, Ettore said.
Once construction is completed, the temporary culvert will be removed, and the brook will be redirected back to its original flow under the bridge and through the new culvert.
Although no concrete plans are in place on what detours will be used during construction, Tarantolo said, “[the county] will come up with a schedule for directing traffic.”
Drivers will be restricted from accessing Maxwell Road from Lewis Street during the construction of the new bridge, and drivers using Maxwell Road will have to use a detour before the bridge, Tarantolo said.
Residents and patrons of the Sun Eagle Golf Course exiting from Magill Road will still be able to enter and exit the facility at its rear access point on Maxwell Road while the project is under construction, Tarantolo said.