PETERSBURG — The NJDOT will use a new, expedited method to replace the Route 50 bridge over Cedar Swamp Creek in Upper Township.
The $48 million project is expected to take about 30 months and the bridge will stay open throughout the process. Work is expected to begin this fall.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill and the New Jersey Department of Transportation hosted a news conference May 20 on the bridge to discuss the contract award for the project, which is the first being built under the innovative Design-Build delivery method.
“When I took office, I made clear that we were going to do things differently and deliver for the people of New Jersey. That means taking more efficient, innovative approaches to modernizing our aging infrastructure. The Route 50 bridge project reflects that, by replacing this critical connection to Cape May County and key coastal evacuation route through New Jersey’s first-ever Design-Build approach. By combining design and construction into one streamlined process, we’re cutting delays, lowering costs and delivering this long-overdue upgrade faster for New Jerseyans.”
According to the NJDOT, collapsing design and construction into a single contract delivers projects more efficiently and cost-effectively.
“Today marks a major milestone in the replacement of Route 50 bridge over Cedar Swamp Creek, but it also reflects something much bigger. This is NJDOT’s commitment to modernizing how we advance infrastructure in New Jersey,” NJDOT Commissioner Priya Jain said.
Traditionally, construction projects have separate contracts for design and construction. The Design-Build method streamlines the process by incorporating both design and construction into a single contract.
Officials said it fosters opportunities for collaboration and innovation to optimize designs, reduce risk and find more cost-effective solutions. The process can mean fewer changes once construction begins and quicker project delivery, since design and construction phases can overlap.
The bridge has served as a critical connection for residents, businesses, emergency service and the millions of visitors traveling to and from the shore each year, Jain said, noting it is part of the coastal evacuation route, making reliability and resiliency especially important.
“So replacing this bridge is not optional. It is essential,” she said.
The new bridge will be higher to account for a 100-year storm and include shoulders, roadway and drainage improvements and environmental enhancements that will strengthen safety, mobility and resiliency.
Sherrill said New Jersey is the most densely populated state and has among the oldest infrastructure, noting about 2,600 other bridges across New Jersey need repairs.
“Nearly 400, including this one, require major fixes or full replacements. But full repairs can take too long and cost too much, so we too often default to patch jobs instead of replacements. New Jersey deserves better,” she said. “We need to innovate and find better ways to spend taxpayer dollars so that we can continue to improve our infrastructure.”
Board of Commissioners Director Leonard Desiderio thanked the governor and others for coming all the way south to Cape May County.
“We appreciate you making the trip down to the most beautiful county in the state of New Jersey, and thank you for your continued partnership on transportation projects that are so important to our region,” he said. “For Cape May County, this project is about improving connectivity, strengthening a vital transportation corridor and coastal evacuation route, and ensuring this infrastructure serves our communities for decades to come.”
State Sen. Michael L. Testa Jr. said the population of the county increases from about 90,000 to in excess of 700,000 during the summer, taking the opportunity of having the governor’s ear to advocate for the long-sought “completion” of Route 55.
“I think Route 55 is going to be eventually necessary, not just a luxury, because our evacuation route includes Route 9, which unfortunately runs parallel to the ocean. You obviously want your roadways to run perpendicular to the ocean should you have a catastrophic storm event,” he said.
– STORY and PHOTOS by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff