Two Delaware & Raritan Canal bridges may be replaced in 2025

FRANKLIN (Somerset) — The state Department of Transportation (DOT) is planning to replace two bridges over the Delaware & Raritan Canal.

Slated for replacement are the Griggstown Causeway bridge and the Chapel Drive bridge to the Pillar of Fire campus.

The DOT has established a virtual public information center through May 26 on the projects.

According to the DOT, both bridges are in "poor condition" and have been classified as structurally deficient.

The Griggstown Causeway bridge, a heavily traveled link between Franklin and Montgomery townships in the southern part of Somerset County, was built in 1950 and reconstructed in 1990.

The replacement bridge will be a single-span steel plate girder bridge with a concrete deck and a timber sidewalk surface. The new bridge will be wider and have six-foot sidewalks on both sides.

Because the bridge is in a historic district, the new abutments will be constructed to minimize vibrations and any impacts to the nearby historic buildings.

The replacement of the bridge will require an 8-mile detour to either the crossings at Rocky Hill or Blackwells Mills, which frequently flood. Access to Griggstown Canoe and Kayak Rental, the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park Trail and adjacent parking lots will be impacted, but the DOT hopes to minimize the impact "as much as possible."

The Chapel Drive, constructed in 1951 and reconstructed in 1997, is also within a historic district. The DOT is proposing a single-span steel plate girder bridge with plank decking.

Because there is no viable detour, the bridge will be replaced in stages, with an alternating lane of traffic.

If funding is available, construction on both projects could begin in 2025 and be completed in 2026. 

Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.