Route 3 Bridge, one of the most dilapidated in NJ, will get $143M replacement

SECAUCUS — Before announcing a plan to rebuild one of New Jersey's most dilapidated bridges, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez first led his peers in singing happy birthday to fellow Democrat U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr.

Pascrell turned 85 on Tuesday, making him just three years younger than the Route 3 Bridge fanned out behind him, which is due to be replaced thanks to an infusion of federal cash.

"An old bridge being shuttered for safety could delay a father or mother an extra 20 minutes seeking detours on the way home," Pascrell said. "Look up and down the Hackensack River, there are no automobile crossings nearby. A failure here at this key feeder to the Lincoln Tunnel could cause mass chaos for this region."

That eastbound crossing from East Rutherford to Secaucus, according to state Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, is "in the worst condition of any in the state."

The deck and superstructure are in poor condition and the railings and transitions do not currently meet acceptable standards, according to the Federal Highway Administration bridge database.

Gutierrez-Scaccetti, Pascrell, Menendez, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, Gov. Phil Murphy, Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli and Raymond M. Pocino, vice president and eastern regional manager of the Laborers' International Union of North America, gathered by the Hackensack River on Tuesday to announce the project.

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Construction on a $143 million replacement for the Route 3 Bridge could begin in two years, Gutierrez-Scaccetti said. It would be built to hold a future light rail line that could connect to the nearby Secaucus Junction train station and the Meadowlands campus that includes the American Dream Mall, MetLife Stadium and the Meadowlands Racetrack.

"There’s a misnomer that in transportation we’re only interested in building bigger and better roads, but we’re interested in a bigger and better transportation system that serves everyone," Gutierrez-Scaccetti said. "So this project is a first step in that, and this funding is going to allow us to do that."

Tuesday's announcement about the Route 3 Bridge replacement comes just two months after President Joe Biden signed the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package.

The money includes $1.14 billion for New Jersey to work on its bridges and also dedicates funding for roads, ports, railways, power grids, broadband internet, and water and sewage systems.

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"The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is the largest investment in America’s infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system. That was 1956, 66 years ago," Menendez said. "This is beyond a generational investment. And boy, do we need it."

The Route 3 Bridge is one of 502 crossings in the state that are labeled in overall "poor" condition, which is 7% of the 6,800 bridges in New Jersey.

U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer highlighted the Anderson Street Bridge between Teaneck and Hackensack last week. That structure, which had a 15-ton weight limit placed on it in 2012 and has concrete barriers to block off some of the lanes to limit traffic, will also receive federal dollars.

"When you invest in roads and bridges in New Jersey, you not only create jobs, but you expand opportunity for businesses, economic growth and more," Booker said. "We're going to continue the momentum."

Colleen Wilson covers the Port Authority and NJ Transit for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to her work covering the region’s transportation systems and how they affect your commute, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: cwilson2@gannettnj.com

Twitter: @colleenallreds

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Route 3 Bridge NJ to be replaced, Meadowlands light rail possible