TRENTON — New Jersey Department of Transportation officials recently announced a project to replace the bridge deck of Route 22 over Burke Parkway in Union.
The project will begin with a traffic shift this weekend to remove the curb and construct temporary pavement on both the left and right side of Route 22 westbound.
Beginning at 11 p.m. Friday, July 24, until 6 p.m. Sunday, July 26, traffic will be shifted along the right side of Route 22 westbound near the crossroad of Rosemont Avenue.
As the project progresses there will be lane closures and a detour for Rosemont Avenue. NJDOT will provide traffic advisories before any closures or detours are implemented.
The existing bridge located on Route 22 westbound is supported on reinforced concrete abutments and spans Burke Parkway. The bridge was built in 1940 and carries two lanes of westbound traffic with a right shoulder and a sidewalk. The bridge is classified as structurally deficient due to the poor condition of the deck slab.
The $2 million project will be replacing the existing bridge deck, sidewalk, parapets and fencing. Minor modifications to the substructure will be performed to accommodate the new parapet located along the sidewalk. The guide rail, sidewalk and the curb also will be reconstructed. The bridge approaches will be milled and resurfaced. The footprint of the existing bridge will not be modified.
The project will be constructed in stages beginning with the new deck and parapets. Each stage will re-construct approximately one third of the bridge deck at a time. For most of the project the Rosemont Avenue exit from Route 22 westbound will be closed and the entrance to Route 22 westbound will limited to emergency vehicles only. Two lanes of traffic will be maintained during daytime hours for the entirety of the project, which is expected to be completed in the spring of 2016.
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 for real-time travel information.