BRIDGE RECONSTRUCTION IS A CHALLENGE

Time had taken its toll on the Route 3 bridge over Berry's Creek and NJ Transit's Bergen Rail Line in northern New Jersey. The 1,023-ft structure, which connects Route 3 (a primary route to the Lincoln tunnel and New York City) with Route 17 and the NJ Turnpike and provides access to the Meadowlands Sports Complex, had settled 2-1/2 feet at both ends since it was built 45 years before. The deck surface was worn from carrying over 112,000 vehicles per day, and the bridge failed to meet current criteria for shoulder widths, seismic design, and sight distances. This article examines the steps taken during reconstruction of the Route 3 bridge.