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Deteriorated pin connection removed from New Hope-Lambertville Bridge

Unprecedented Repair Process Remains on Track for Completion by January 27

LAMBERTVILLE, NJ (Hunterdon County) – Construction workers and engineers last night completed a multi-step process to remove a severely deteriorated structural connection that has forced a two-week-long shutdown of the New Hope-Lambertville Toll-Supported Bridge, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission announced Wednesday.

The removal of the severely rusted and deformed 4-inch-diameter, 18-inch-long pin on the bridge’s second span is a critical milestone in an unprecedented repair effort aimed at getting the bridge back into limited service by January 27.

(Photo: Portion of sawed pin. Note severe section loss on originally 4-inch-diameter pin. Courtesy | Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission)
(Photo: Portion of sawed pin. Note severe section loss on originally 4-inch-diameter pin. Courtesy | Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission)

As anticipated, the pin removal was an elaborate task. Workers could not remove the corroded connection intact. So, they resorted to sawing, drilling, sledgehammering, and torching to get the misshaped metal piece out from a series of bridge structural supports. The stubborn pin was sawn in half early yesterday. The downstream portion of the pin was removed around 6 p.m. and the upstream portion was freed around 10:30 p.m.

Next Steps

With the pin removed, workers have already moved to the next step in the repair process involving removal and replacement of several steel components that also deteriorated at the pin connection point. Other tasks in the process involve realigning structural components, steel boring, and insertion of a custom-fabricated replacement pin.

The affected bridge section – the second truss span from the Pennsylvania side — will then need to be put back into tension independent of a temporary custom-made stabilization device called a “friction collar” that was installed on the bridge in late November. The unique device was put into tension early last week, allowing for the bridge’s shutdown on Monday for the pin-replacement process.

Jay Edwards

Born and raised in Northwest NJ, Jay has a degree in Communications and has had a life-long interest in local radio and various styles of music. Jay has held numerous jobs over the years such as stunt car driver, bartender, voice-over artist, traffic reporter (award winning), NY Yankee maintenance crewmember and peanut farm worker. His hobbies include mountain climbing, snowmobiling, cooking, performing stand-up comedy and he is an avid squirrel watcher. Jay has been a guest on America’s Morning Headquarters,program on The Weather Channel, and was interviewed by Sam Champion.

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