South Salem Street bridge to be replaced
over NJ Transit rail line in Dover

(Trenton) - Commissioner Kris Kolluri today announced that starting August 1 the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) will replace the South Salem Street Bridge over NJ TRANSIT’s Morristown rail line in Dover, Morris County.

“The reconstruction of the 73 year-old South Salem Street Bridge will make travel through this corridor a safer experience for motorists,” said NJDOT Commissioner Kris Kolluri.

NJDOT will build a new 115-foot long steel bridge with one travel lane and shoulder in each direction. The structure will include sidewalks, safety railing and improved lighting and traffic signals.

All existing travel lanes will remain open during construction in order to minimally impact motorists. Starting in August, crews will relocate utility equipment. From November 2007 to July 2008, the eastbound portion of the new bridge will be built. Construction will take place adjacent to the existing bridge and motorists will continue to travel on the existing bridge.

From August 2008 to May 2009, crews will demolish the original bridge and build the western portion of the new bridge. Motorists will be diverted to the newly built bridge and have access to one travel lane in each direction.

Occasional night and weekend detours will be in effect for South Salem Street during construction. Motorists should follow detour routes posted in the area.

The South Salem Street Bridge is part of the Old Main, Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Rail Road Historic District.

NJDOT will post variable message signs throughout the corridor to alert motorists of upcoming traffic pattern changes and construction activity. Additional information is available via the NJDOT website at https://nj-dot.nj.gov/transportation/commuter/.