Major Construction On Kingsland Bridge Will Impact Belleville, Nutley

BELLEVILLE-NUTLEY, NJ — It isn’t happening for at least another year. But it isn’t too early to start discussions about a major construction project at a bridge that spans the Passaic River between Bergen and Essex counties, officials say.

North Arlington Mayor Daniel Pronti recently gave an update about the plans to demolish and reconstruct the Kingsland Avenue (Avondale and De Jessa Memorial) Bridge.

Construction work at the bridge – which spans Lyndhurst and Nutley – is also expected to impact Belleville. Learn more about the project here.

“There have been discussions, meetings, plans and timelines put forth on the website, but I most recently requested a meeting to discuss the anticipated increase in traffic, which will undoubtedly affect North Arlington and Belleville during the duration of the project,” Pronti said.

“It's better to begin the discussions early, so we are prepared for what we will be facing,” he continued. “Mayor Michael Melham (Belleville) and I will be meeting with the project team this coming Wednesday to discuss the measures we can take to best facilitate the issues we will be facing.”

According to preliminary engineering plans, the 364-foot bridge was built in 1905. It is maintained by Bergen and Essex counties.

A 2020 re-evaluation survey report found that the bridge is in “poor overall condition” and “structurally deficient.”

The bridge has been temporarily closed in recent years for structural and mechanical repairs. Due to its age, the bridge has deteriorated over time and routine maintenance can no longer address the deficiencies, Nutley town officials say.

Some challenges and limitations of the project include:

• Limited horizontal/vertical clearance under Route 21
• Limited distance between signalized intersections
• Traffic congestion due to narrowness of bridge
• Proximity of nearby driveways

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Belleville-Nutley Facebook page.