COZY LAKE ROAD BRIDGE IN JEFFERSON COMPLETED – REOPENS TO MOTOR VEHICLES
BI–COUNTY BRIDGE PROJECT COMPLETED ON TIME
Replacement of the bi-county Cozy Lake Road Bridge over the Pequannock River in Jefferson in Morris County and West Milford in Passaic County has been completed, with the new bridge opening today, ending months of detours for motorists.
The new bridge, at 60-feet long and 30-feet wide, is a precast concrete arch with concrete footings. The bridge parapets are stone faced with a bluestone covering. The substructure also is stone faced
The 105-year-old bridge had structural deficiencies that required its replacement. Work started on the replacement bridge at the end of April, with re-opening set at that time for the fall.
During the closure, an approximate 3-mile detour had been installed on County Route 513 (Berkshire Valley Road) to Chamberlain Road and then to Cozy Lake Road.
“We are glad to get this bridge done and opened for the holiday season,’’ said Freeholder John Cesaro, the county governing board’s liaison to road and bridge projects. “We know the closure was an inconvenience to motorists but we now have a new and safe bridge in place that should last for decades.”
The original Cozy Lake Road Bridge was built in 1911. It was a single span earth-filled, reinforced concrete arch with concrete substructures. The 60-feet long, 21-feet wide structure carried about 2,320 vehicles daily.
The old structure had large breaks in its framework and exposed reinforcement. There were longitudinal cracks and increasing potholes throughout the asphalt roadway and across the bridge deck surface.
The contractor for the replacement project was Ron-Jon Construction Corp. of Butler. The contract award amount was $1.4 million and was funded jointly by Morris and Passaic counties.
The project inspector was Dewberry Engineers, Inc. of Parsippany, at a cost of $102,000.
####
