State Sen. Kip Bateman (R-16th) and Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R-16th) have called for Gov. Chris Christie and the state Department of Transportation to declare the replacement of the Route 518 bridge over the Delaware and Raritan Canal in Franklin Township an essential project.
FRANKLIN TWP. - Two prominent New Jersey Republicans have joined the call for Gov. Chris Christie and the state Department of Transportation to declare the replacement of the Route 518 bridge over the Delaware and Raritan Canal in Franklin Township an essential project.
The designation would allow work on the now-closed bridge to resume immediately. The project, supposed to have been completed in early August, was stopped when the governor ordered all non-essential Transportation Trust Fund projects to be halted to conserve its remaining money.
State Sen. Kip Bateman (R-16th) and Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R-16th) made the announcement on Thursday.
"The Route 518 bridge over the Delaware and Raritan Canal is a critical transportation link that residents and emergency and shared services depend upon," said Bateman. "It's imperative for the safety and well-being of our community that work be resumed on this project immediately.
School openings add to traffic woes near closed bridge
"Governor Christie should use his authority to declare this an essential project, allowing the bridge replacement to move forward."
The DOT was ordered to halt work in early July on the $2.75 million project and other transportation projects across New Jersey that were deemed non-essential, pending an agreement on how to replenish the fund.
Two other Somerset County bridge projects, one to replace a bridge on Route 202 in Bernardsville damaged in a flood in July and another bridge-replacement project in Branchburg, are continuing.
A recent NJ Advance Media report highlighted the increasing chaos caused in the region by the bridge's continued closure. There are few alternate crossings over the canal, leading to miles-long detours that have gridlocked area roads.
Tensions have risen and altercations have been reported at the single-lane Griggstown Causeway as motorists have jockeyed for a turn to cross the span that has been overwhelmed by traffic, it was previously reported. The situation is expected to worsen as the school year begins and parents and school buses add to rush-hour traffic.
"While we all look forward to timely resolution of the Transportation Trust Fund issue, our community cannot be held hostage in the interim by Trenton's inability to act responsibly," added Ciattarelli. "With school starting shortly and the demands on our local roads set to increase, Governor Christie and the Department of Transportation need to recognize the critical nature of the Rt. 518 bridge project and allow work to move forward expeditiously."
Last week, three Somerset County mayors - Franklin Township Mayor Phil Kramer, a Democrat, fellow Democrat Millstone Mayor Raymond Heck and Rocky Hill Mayor Jeff Donahue, an independent - held a protest at the bridge calling for work to resume.
Craig Turpin may be reached at cturpin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @NJeditor. Find NJ.com on Facebook.