Facility will be used as a centralized disaster recovery location during emergency events
The New Jersey Department of Transportation has opened its new state-of-the-art transportation facility in the former New Jersey National Guard Bordentown Combined Support Maintenance Shop.
NJDOT acquired the property on Dunns Mill Road from the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in 2016 and converted its three buildings and surrounding land into a purpose-built training complex that caters specifically to the evolving needs of professionals working in the transportation infrastructure field, according to NJDOT officials.
“The NJDOT recognizes the critical importance of a well-trained, highly skilled workforce to build, maintain and improve our transportation infrastructure,” NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said. “The skills taught at this innovative and modern facility will directly impact motorists throughout New Jersey, because excellence in training translates to expertise, efficiency, and enhanced safety on the job. Today marks an exciting milestone as we continue to invest in NJDOT’s most valuable asset, its employees.”
NJDOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti announced the opening of a state-of-the-art transportation training facility on May 31.
The original buildings’ footprints and floorplans were retained throughout the design and renovation process, with minimal need for demolition and new construction, NJDOT officials said. The facility includes specialized classrooms and adjoining labs outfitted with real roadway structures, traffic control components, and vehicle maintenance equipment. These spaces allow trainees to gain valuable hands-on experience in a safe and controlled setting without adverse weather or road hazards.
A mock roadway was constructed on the premises and features a signalized intersection, crosswalks, overhead signs, and a railroad grade crossing to present trainees with the conditions and structures they will encounter on the job.
In addition to a lecture hall, multi-use classrooms, computer training labs, offices, conference and breakout rooms, and locker room facilities for instructors and trainees, the training facility offers unique, hand-on training areas including:
- Two full-motion Commercial Drivers’ License (CDL) truck simulators.
- Construction, Landscape and Roadway Training Lab with in-ground model of drainage inlets connected by a culvert.
- Electrical and Sign Training Lab with real traffic signal control cabinets and in-ground pull boxes.
- Automotive Training Lab with working model of truck brake system.
- Equipment Training Bay with welding area and space to work on large vehicles Radio Shop.
The facility is also equipped to serve as a centralized disaster recovery location for roadway operations during emergency events.
Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information, and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NewJerseyDOT or on the NJDOT Facebook page.