23 Sep ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO ANNOUNCES THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ORTON ROAD BRIDGE IN WEST CALDWELL IS COMPLETE Historic Character of Bridge Preserved by Incorporating Salvaged Stone from Original 138-year-old Structure
Published on September 23, 2019
West Caldwell, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. dedicated the Orton Road Bridge in West Caldwell on Friday, September 20th. The 19th century bridge was damaged during a rainstorm in 2018 and needed to be replaced because it was structurally obsolete. To preserve the historic character, salvaged stonework from the original bridge was incorporated into the façade of the new structure.
“The Orton Road Bridge was an iconic symbol of West Caldwell and community input to preserve the historical integrity of the structure was strong. We are proud to have worked cooperatively with the township and Historical Society to develop a plan that provides West Caldwell with the modern infrastructure it deserves while preserving its past,” DiVincenzo said. “This is another example of how we have been able to modernize our infrastructure to ensure it meets the changing needs of our residents,” he added.
“There is no question the commitment of our County Executive to improve our infrastructure, parks and quality of life. This is just a beautiful project that the community can be proud of,” Freeholder President Brendan Gill said. “The County Executive and Freeholders deeply care about the safety of our roads, bridges and infrastructure. These improvements are great for the residents,” Freeholder Len Luciano said.
“This was a complete team effort and another great project by Essex County. Not only is the history of our township preserved, but the new bridge enhances safety for motorists and pedestrians. It’s a great day for West Caldwell,” said West Caldwell Mayor Joseph Tempesta, who as joined by Council President Joe Cecere and Councilman Stephen Wolsky.
“We congratulate the County Executive and everyone involved in this project. This bridge is very important to the neighborhood – it’s a community anchor – and we appreciate the attention the County gave to our concerns when the bridge was replaced,” said Frank Godlewski of the Historical Society of West Caldwell. “This bridge has been so important to the history of West Caldwell and now the new bridge can start a new life. We are so pleased with the positive response from the County to preserve our past,” said Beverly Crifasi of the Historical Society of West Caldwell.
The bridge was reopened to pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic on Friday, August 30th, just in time for the beginning of the new school year. This restored regular access to the nearby Wilson Elementary School. After the road was reopened, the contractor needed to complete the installation of the historic stone on the façade of the new bridge. The announcement on Friday, September 13th signaled the completion of all construction that was part of the project.
The former stone and masonry structure was constructed around 1880 and was about 42 feet long over Pine Brook. The roadway was built on a series of piers that were about 12 feet apart and carried two lanes of traffic, one lane in each direction. A five-foot wide wooden pedestrian walkway along the east side of the road was added to the outside of the bridge in 1959. Based on current design standards, the former bridge was “functionally obsolete.” In addition, the bridge sustained damage from flood waters along the Pine Brook caused by a summer storm. Essex County Public Works crews stabilized the bridge structure allowing it to reopen while the new bridge was designed.
The new bridge is a three-span, precast concrete arch structure with stone facing. Like the original structure, there will be two travel lanes, one in each direction. A sidewalk will be provided inside the bridge parapet on the east side of the bridge.
Due to the year and manner of construction, the existing 1880s bridge is eligible for inclusion on the National and New Jersey Register of Historic Places. To preserve the historical character of the old structure, the County consulted extensively with the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office and the Historical Society of West Caldwell. To achieve this, the design of the new bridge mimicked the existing bridge’s three-span, semi-circular arch configuration. In addition, the brownstones from the original bridge were salvaged during the demolition and reused in the construction of the fascia of the new bridge.
Boswell Engineering from South Hackensack was awarded a professional services contract for $249,982 to design the new bridge. Reivax Contracting Corp. from Newark was awarded a publicly bid contract for $2,160,355 to perform the construction work. The Essex County Department of Public Works monitored the project to ensure delays were avoided. Funding was provided through grants from the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Local Bridges Future Needs Program and Annual Transportation Program (ATP 2018).
Other capital projects that Essex County has completed in West Caldwell include the repaving of Westville Avenue in 2018, Clinton Road in 2016 and Kirkpatrick Lane in 2013, planting of trees along County roads in 2011, installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of Passaic Avenue and Terrace Place/Dillon Road in 2006, modernization of four intersections and streetscape improvements along Bloomfield Avenue in 2005 and replacement of the Kirkpatrick Lane Culvert in 2003.