Historic Long Valley Bridge Reopens Ahead Of Schedule

LONG VALLEY, NJ — Construction on the Schooley's Mountain Road bridge is done.

Morris County officials announced on Monday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony that the work was finished three weeks ahead of schedule. The historic bridge is set to reopen on Tuesday morning.

“The roads and bridges Morris County is responsible for are among the best maintained—possibly the best maintained—in the state as we follow a plan developed 10 years ago that also included doubling the miles of county roads paved,” Morris County Commissioner Director John Krickus said.

The 150-year-old bridge, which serves as a vital link for the Long Valley community, allows travelers to safely cross on a newly paved riding surface supported by structurally reinforced walls and arches.

Morris County provided funding for the $1,008,000 project in the German Valley Historic District, which will extend the bridge's life by 30 to 40 years.

The project first began on Friday, June 16, 2023, and was divided into two phases.

During Phase 1 of the project, the bridge remained open to one-way traffic and was finished ahead of the 51-day deadline. When Phase 2 work began on Monday, July 10, it was necessary to close the bridge completely to allow the contractor to remove and replace all material above the stone arches.

Weather permitting, the work was expected to take 21 days to complete, with the goal of completing the entire project by the time school reopened on Aug. 23, 2023. However, the project was completed several weeks ahead of schedule.

According to county officials, the scope of work included removing all material above the arches and reinstalling the existing stonework with lightweight concrete. On top of the arches, a new waterproof membrane was installed.

The downstream stone spandrel wall had deteriorated to the point where it needed to be completely rebuilt.

"This was a substantial project on a historic structure. Everyone involved should feel proud of what was accomplished. There are so many factors that can delay construction, particularly all the heavy rains in July," Commissioner Stephen Shaw said. "Under normal circumstances, completing this project on time would have been notable. In this case, finishing the job three weeks ahead of schedule is tremendous. The county’s employees, Washington Township and the contractor deserve a lot of credit."

Residents were concerned about the project due to the anticipated lengthy road closures, with even Mayor Matt Murello stating that "this is not going to be a fun place to drive around this summer." Sorry."

The project, however, moved quickly through the two phases, even overcoming several bouts of bad weather earlier this month.

“We couldn't ask for a better partnership in having this bridge done. I can't wait to get people back over the road and get these detours out of town. And then we can start working on repaving some of those roads… I want to thank the county and all the partners for getting this done,” Murello said.

With the completion of Schooley's Mountain Bridge, Morris County Public Works Director Chris Vitz anticipates that another project in the Town of Dover, the demolition and replacement of the Richard Avenue Bridge over McKeel Brook, will begin soon.

The county is also currently rebuilding the historic Mill Brook bridge in Randolph, officials said.