BRICK – Ocean County is moving ahead with plans to replace the aging Midstreams Bridge in Brick Township.
“We have now put the funding in place to replace this span that crosses over Beaver Dam Creek in Brick Township,” said Ocean County Freeholder John P. Kelly, Director of Law and Public Safety. “We anticipate work to begin in the Fall.”
The Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders recently adopted a $3.9 million bond ordinance to pay for the replacement span.
“Everything is ready to go, from the design to the permits,” said Kelly, who serves as liaison to the Ocean County Engineering Department. “With the funding in place we can now go out for bids on the project.”
The existing bridge originally built in 1962, is a five-span 131 feet long, 35 feet wide structure consisting of adjacent precast concrete slab beams supported on concrete pile caps founded on timber piles with timber bulkheading.
The existing timber piles and timber bulkhead substructure show signs of advanced deterioration while the existing concrete pile caps exhibit delamination and moderate section loss. Additionally, the bridge deck width is substandard given the increased traffic volumes.
The proposed bridge will be a 111 feet long single span structure consisting of adjacent precast/prestressed concrete box beams, supported on full height reinforced concrete abutments, founded on cast-in-place steel pipe piles and concrete footings.
The width of the new structure shall be 49 feet and include a 40 feet curb-to-curb cartway along with a 6-foot wide sidewalk on the west side. The proposed bridge rail will be a 4-bar galvanized steel with cast-in-place concrete pylons. Included in the scope is the extensive installation of steel sheet bulkheading, revised roadway profile and upgraded guide rail.
Extensive utility relocations are required for this project including aerial electric and telephone/cable as well as an underground gas line.
“Ocean County maintains more than 220 bridges and culverts,” said Ocean County Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari. “Replacing old structures is important for the safety of motorists and pedestrians.”
Kelly said the County makes it a priority to review its structures regularly and replace or refurbish those that need it.
“Public safety is a priority for the board,” Kelly said. “All of our engineering projects have public safety components tied into them.”
Construction for the bridge replacement will be staged allowing operation of a single lane for northbound traffic at all times. Construction is expected to take about 12 months.
