Route 31 Bridge over Peters Brook project to begin this weekend in Hunterdon County

Traffic shifts necessary to repair bridge deck

(Trenton) -New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced the start of a deck replacement project on the Route 31 Bridge over Peters Brook in East Amwell to repair the bridge and extend its service life.

The $2.9 million dollar federally-funded project will replace the deck and approaches to the bridge, as well as make substantial repairs to the substructure. The project is designed in stages. During the first stage, traffic will be shifted to allow sections of the bridge structure and abutments to be demolished and replaced with prefabricated sections of concrete. During stage two, traffic will be shifted onto the newly completed portion of the bridge deck so the southbound side of the bridge deck can be replaced. At that time, southbound traffic will be detoured over five weekends, with normal traffic in place during the week.

NJDOT is using Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) techniques to reduce the time it will take to replace the bridge and reduce the impact of construction on the travelling public. The entire project is expected to be completed by the fall of this year.

Beginning at 8 p.m. tonight, Friday, April 6, for approximately two months, NJDOT's contractor, South State, Inc., is scheduled to shift traffic to the west and maintain traffic in both directions over the bridge on the southbound side of the road.

Construction signs are being utilized to provide advance notification to the motoring public of all traffic pattern changes associated with the work. NJDOT will provide more information before any lane closures are scheduled.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for construction updates and real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NJDOT_info or on the NJDOT Facebook page.