Gaston Road to close March 2 for three-month bridge replacement in Morris Township
MORRIS TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Morris County) — Gaston Road will be closed to through traffic beginning Monday, March 2, as Morris County replaces the aging Gaston Bridge, officials said.
The closure is expected to last approximately three months and will affect the one-mile stretch of roadway linking Sussex Turnpike and Washington Valley Road.
The bridge spans a tributary to the Whippany River and is located just north of Jonathan Smith Road, about midway along Gaston Road. During construction, the road will be effectively divided in half, requiring residents south of the bridge to access their neighborhoods via Washington Valley Road and those north of the bridge to use Sussex Turnpike.
A detour will be posted for motorists traveling from the south end of Gaston Road to Sussex Turnpike. Drivers will be redirected to Washington Valley Road, Schoolhouse Lane and Mount Pleasant Road, which connects to Sussex Turnpike about a mile west of the north end of Gaston Road.
County officials said the existing bridge, a concrete slab span supported by stone masonry abutments and wingwalls, is deteriorating and has undergone multiple repairs. At approximately five feet in length, the structure has reached a point where full replacement is considered the most practical and cost-effective option.
The new bridge will feature a four-sided precast structure with stone-faced walls and a picket-style railing.
The $641,487 project will be completed by CMS Construction Inc. of Plainfield. Construction is scheduled to conclude in about three months, weather permitting.
