Costly Bridge Repairs Listed by Engineer

CREST HAVEN ­– Imagine having a bridge so old that its parts must be tailor made. That bridge is the 96th Street Bridge that links Middle Township with Stone Harbor. It was among 10 named bridges County Engineer Dale Foster listed in the 2016 county Public Work Bond Ordinance request made at the May 10 freeholder meeting. 
The vintage bascule dual-leaf span, built about 1927 or 1933, Foster wasn’t certain, is slated for replacement of many of its mechanical parts and other structural repairs. Specifically its gears must be custom crafted, he said.
“It’s a historic bridge, one of six of its kind,” said Foster.
Freeholder Will Morey told Foster that some boater friends had told him they had gone under the bridge and said, “There was work that needed to be done under the bridge.”
Presently the work for those repair gears is in its design phase, and no cost has been established. Foster noted that regardless, the repair job will not be done inexpensively.
The Lafayette Street Bridge, linking Lower Township and Cape May, which has recently slowed ingress and egress from Cape Island was listed on the report as needing $300,000 in substructure repairs. Foster said those were priority-type repairs. There will still be some sub-structure work and the northwest corner bulkhead. Foster said that is “In pretty sad shape and some is in our (county) right of way.”
The large bridge on Avalon Boulevard (C.R. 601) linking Middle Township and Avalon needs deck and structural repairs and “scour” abatement. Foster listed that repair as $2.15 million.
Roosevelt Boulevard Bridge from Ocean City to Upper Township needs deck and railing improvements. That job, just over $3 million is set to receive $1 million as the 2016 recipient of the Local Bridge Future Needs program.
The 17th Street culvert in Ocean City is a replacement listed at $180,000. But as part of the 2015 Local Bridge Future Needs program is covered by a grant.
A bridge on Hand Avenue in Middle Township over Skeeter Island Creek experienced a sinkhole during the past winter, and is scheduled for structural repairs and scout abatement. Foster said the project is still in design, and would likely take a year to receive its permits, but estimated to cost $175,000.
In total, the amount needed to repair all county-owned bridges was $7.2 million with $2 million funded by grants.
County Bridge Commission bridges were also listed on the report, for a total of $8.3 million with $2 million funding, half from the 2015 Local Bridge Future Needs Fund and an equal amount from the Bridge Commission.