New Plan For Mendham's Main Street Bridge

Written By Nancy D'Uva

After the Mendham Township Committee and the public had objections to a proposed plan to replace the Main Street bridge in Mendham, representatives of Morris County came back with some changes for a few members of the Mendham Township Committee on June 24.

Committeeman Sam Tolley, chair of public works, gave an update to the entire Committee at its regular meeting the next day. 

“The bridge is very iconic,” Tolley said. “While a simple bridge, it is very beloved by residents. It does need to be replaced, but (the original plan) had some components that did not meet favorably with the public and Committee. We had another meeting with the county. It was a very productive meeting.” 

The original plan featured a concrete rigid frame structure. 

“They came back with an all-metal bridge,” Tolley said. “The difference is, it’s a flimsy structure; this would be a little bulkier and sturdier. Most of the stone would be gone. The only remaining stone would be at the ends of the bridge and some extensions would be below the buttresses. It improves the site lines and visibility.” 

The county's first design featured a bigger bridge than the current one. That, too, was changed. 

“As presented at the last meeting, the bridge was substantially wider, an additional 10 feet,” Tolley said. “That is far too great of an increase. They’ve agreed with that as well. They’ve reduced it to what its current size is.”

The last change, Tolley said, would accommodate those who use wheelchairs.

“As you go around the state, you see there are little red areas with bumps for people in wheelchairs,” Tolley said. “Those will be present in the new design.”

The new bridge will include sidewalks.

The county is expected to come back to the Committee with a new bridge design in August. 

In late May, four engineers unveiled plans to the Committee to replace the bridge at the intersection of Cherry Lane. 

The bridge was built in 1925 and rehabilitated in 1977, John Ragazzo of the consulting firm Malick & Scherer had told the Committee, adding that it is at the end of its useful life.

The engineers had said that the work is expected to begin in July 2014. Ragazzo said the road could be kept partly open and would be built half at a time or it could be closed. He said the project would probably take half the time if the road was closed, but it would involve about a 2-mile detour.