PHILLIPSBURG, N.J. (Warren County) — Repair work on the closed South Main Street bridge in Phillipsburg could begin as soon as next week, according to an update from state Sen. Doug Steinhardt.
Steinhardt said Friday that he spoke with New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner Francis O’Connor Jain about the status of the bridge repair project.
According to Steinhardt, NJDOT has completed negotiations for access agreements with the railroad, and materials for the project have been ordered.
The department is conducting one additional inspection to determine whether the concrete already ordered will be sufficient for the first phase of bridge repairs.
If the material is sufficient, work is expected to begin next week. If additional materials are needed, work is expected to begin the week of June 8, Steinhardt said.
“Once work starts, DOT will have a better sense of time of completion and I will communicate with the Commissioner after the first work week to get a better sense of when that will be,” Steinhardt said. “We regret the burden this closure has created and are working expeditiously with DOT to get it reopened ASAP.”
The bridge has remained closed to vehicular traffic after an NJDOT inspection found severe structural concerns. Officials previously said the bridge’s structural and load rating was determined to be zero.
The concrete bridge, located near the black truss bridge on South Main Street, remains open to pedestrians while repairs are planned and completed.
State officials have said repairs will be completed in phases, beginning with temporary work aimed at reopening the bridge to limited traffic before longer-term structural repairs are completed.
Local and state officials have said restoring vehicle access remains a priority, while emphasizing that public safety is the top concern.
