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A project must now be approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.
“A decaying two-lane road beset by traffic bottlenecks and drawbridge jams is no longer acceptable for the 21,000 vehicles crossing this bridge every day to go to work, take kids to the doctor, and run to the market,” Pascrell said in a statement
Our federal, state, county, and local officials are united together to get the bridge fixed. I am happy my office worked with these stakeholders to move the permitting process with the United States Army Corps of Engineers forward and that no one is dragging their heels. I will do whatever is necessary to keep this project moving so bridge traffic here can always move.”
Pascrell, Rep. Mikie Sherill (D-11), Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo and Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco met to discuss ongoing efforts to overhaul the 364-foot span or build a new one over the Passaic River. The bridge has a “sufficiency rating” of just 24.3 out of a possible 100, officials said.
“Our bridges and roads help make up the backbone of our surface transportation network,” said Tedesco. “When our bridges and roads fall into disrepair due to their advancing age, it is important that we repair and replace them because maintaining our infrastructure has a direct effect on local economic growth, quality of life and property value.
In addition to being structurally deficient, the bridge no longer meets modern traffic control standards and has repeatedly gotten stuck when it has been swung open for boat traffic.
A study was commissioned in 2016 to explore alternatives to the current structure.
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