Score One for New Jersey

Victory Bridge to Ease Congestion, Honor WWI Vets

by Lynne Viccaro O'Leary

When it opened in 1926 the Victory Bridge in Sayreville, N.J., was the state's largest vehicle swing bridge.

When its new, $110 million replacement is complete, it will be the first precast concrete segmental bridge project in the state and the longest precast suspension span in the country, according to the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Carrying 20,000 vehicles per day, the original structure - a one-span, four-lane bridge - is being converted into a comprehensive two-span, six-lane bridge. The project involves building twin bridges side by side over the Raritan River to accommodate two 12-ft. travel lanes in each direction with shoulders on each side and a sidewalk.

The new bridges are each 3,971 ft. long and have a 120-ft. vertical clearance above the channel, high enough to allow the passage of marine traffic. The original structure was a concrete and steel swing bridge that provided only 28 ft. of vertical clearance.

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Besides the two travel lanes, there will be 10-ft. outer lanes and 3-ft. shoulders in each direction on the new bridges.

Each structure is made up of two cast-in-place abutments and 22 precast piers. The footings of the bridge are cast-in-place concrete, with the land piers supported by 2-ft.-diameter, concrete-filled steel pipe.

The project also involves approach roadway construction including vibro concrete piles and precast modular and Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) retaining walls.

The first phase of the project formally ended recently when the first span opened to traffic. A grand opening was held for the first new span, a 110-ft. high bridge that temporarily will handle both north- and southbound traffic until the second span is completed by the end of 2005.

As part of the festivities, the project contractor, George Harms Construction Co. of Farmingdale, N.J., arranged for elephants to cross the bridge, mimicking the elephant walk that took place during the 100th anniversary celebration of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1983.

The new bridge, rededicated to World War I veterans by New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey, reflects a part of the tremendous investment the state is making for its residents in both transport and employment.

"Transportation drives the economy by creating construction jobs and by giving New Jersey a real advantage over our neighbors when it comes to creating all types of jobs," McGreevey said during the dedication. "The work we're doing to build the Garden State's transportation infrastructure lets employers, those who are here already and those who want to come here, know we can get their workers to and from the job quickly.

"Our state Department of Transportation is putting more work on streets than ever before in New Jersey history."

Construction of the federally funded Victory Bridge began in December 2000.

Other area bridge construction projects include the Alfred E. Driscoll Bridge, which is adding seven additional lanes to travel and approaches. The $100 million project is about 50 percent complete and is scheduled for completion in December 2005.

The $60 million Route 9 Edison Bridge, which carries more than 82,000 vehicles daily between Woodbridge and Sayreville, was completed in December 2001.

The three bridges accommodate 350,000 vehicles a day and represent a total investment of $350 million in New Jersey's transportation infrastructure.