Route 202 reopens today in Bernardsville with the completion of emergency bridge repairs
Car and truck detours removed

Route 202 required an emergency closure on July 10 just south of Douglas Avenue near mile post 34.6 because of damage sustained following heavy rains and flooding. After evaluating the damage, NJDOT determined that the best option was to remove the original structure and replace it with a cast-in-place three-sided culvert. This method allowed NJDOT to work as quickly as possible while ensuring the safety and minimizing the inconvenience to motorists.

The Department designed the permanent repair with an aggressive construction schedule and had expected to reopen the bridge by Thanksgiving. However, crews worked 12- to 16-hour shifts, seven days-a-week in order to expedite the work and complete the project sooner than anticipated.

The emergency work posed challenges for the Department, including factoring in a site-specific hydraulic study necessary in order to prevent future flooding upstream and downstream, the relocation PSE&G utilities, and the development of a plan to work around Verizon utilities rather than relocate them, which would have added more time and cost to the project.

The original structure was built in 1900 and last reconstructed in 1922. It is inspected every four years as part of NJDOT’s Minor Bridge Inspection Program, a statewide program that inspects bridges and structures less than 20 feet in length. Federal regulations require bridges greater than 20 feet in length to be inspected every two years.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT's traffic information website, www.511nj.org, for real-time travel information and plan their trips accordingly.