Route 18 Bridge over Route 1
New Brunswick, N.J.
Award of Merit
Project Owner/Developer: New Jersey Dept. of Transportation
General Contractor/Construction Manager: Anselmi & DeCicco Inc.
Lead Design Firm: HNTB Corp.
Subcontractor: Archer Steel Erecting Co.
Subcontractor: The Fort Miller Co.
The intent of the project was to improve operational efficiency on Route 18 and Route 1 in New Brunswick, N.J., two heavily traveled highways in the region. To achieve this, the construction team widened and built one new lane on Route 18 northbound from east of Route 1 to connect it to the Route 1 southbound ramp. Additionally, they replaced the existing retaining wall-supported ramp from Route 18 northbound to Route 1 southbound with a new ramp due to poor existing geometry and replaced the deficient bridge decks with new decks or superstructures.
The project team also restructured an existing ramp and replaced three bridge decks in poor condition. The upgrades to the structure will extend the bridge service life for 50 years and eliminated a weaving problem on Route 18 northbound.
The project was completed over 10 summer weekends in order to minimize impacts to commuter traffic and the nearby Rutgers University campus.
