Work to complete the reconstruction of the Route 518 bridge in Franklin and Rocky Hill will resume, Somerset County Freeholder Director Patricia Walsh has announced.
SOMERVILLE - Work to complete the reconstruction of the Route 518 bridge in Franklin and Rocky Hill will resume, Somerset County Freeholder Director Patricia Walsh has announced.
The stalled $2.75 million project, which has caused daily traffic nightmares, is resuming thanks to efforts by the Somerset County Freeholders, in collaboration with two local legislators, to hammer out an agreement with the state Department of Transportation to fund the bridge work, Walsh said.
The county will fund this project as a capital expenditure, with no added impact on county property taxpayers, according to a news release.
Residents and local leaders have protested the decision to halt the project. Work stopped when the Transportation Trust Fund was no longer able to be used to pay for anything but projects deemed critical. State leaders and the governor have yet to agree on a plan to resume funding of the TTF.
School openings add to traffic woes near closed bridge
"It is no secret that due to the funding issues surrounding the TTF, our members have been put out of work, and important projects like the Route 518 bridge have been put on the back burner," said Anthony Attanasio, executive director of the Utilities and Transportation Contracts Association. "We applaud the Somerset County Freeholders and Director Walsh for their tenacity in finding a solution here.
"We are happy to get moving and get the project done, and done right."
Once a formal memorandum of understanding is approved, the project will resume, Walsh said.
"You cannot put a price tag on the safety and security of Somerset County residents," she said, "nor should they have to bear the fallout from the current impasse in Trenton surrounding the Transportation Trust Fund debate.
"I am happy to report on behalf of the Freeholder board that, with the help of Sen. Kip Bateman (R-16th) and Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R-16th), we were able to successfully resolve the funding issues that would allow this critical project to move forward. From a health, safety and convenience standpoint, this is a win for Somerset County residents."
Among those applauding the agreement was Montgomery Mayor Patricia Graham.
"The closure of the Route 518 bridge has placed an undue burden on our residents," Graham said. "I am happy to hear this issue is being resolved, allowing this project to move forward expeditiously."
Somerset County Public Health and Safety Director William Stahl also praised the agreement.
"The decision to fund the completion of this project demonstrates the Freeholders' commitment to the safety and security of Somerset County residents and ensures this roadway will be safe for travelers," he said.
In August, 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.
Bateman and Ciattarelli had previously called on the Governor to declare the project as essential, which would allow work to resume on the project that was initially scheduled to be completed in early August.
"The Governor's Office, NJDOT and Somerset County freeholders worked with us in good faith to find a way to get the Route 518 bridge project back on track," Ciattarelli said. "What's important is that we took action to fix the problem and were able to gain agreement on a solution that is good for the residents of Somerset County and the region."
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.
"Jack and I know how important this project is to the safety and welfare of the region," said Bateman. "It's a critical crossing for emergency services, school buses and residents who can't afford to detour miles out of the way. I'm glad that we were able to bring state and county officials together to hammer out the details that will help us to get this important bridge reopened."
One other Somerset County bridge project to replace a bridge on Route 202 in Bernardsville damaged in a flood in July is continuing while work on a bridge-replacement project in Branchburg has been suspended.
Craig Turpin may be reached at cturpin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @NJeditor. Find NJ.com on Facebook.