NJ Route 440 Multi-Span Bridge Construction

Complex deck replacement and rehabilitation of multi-span bridges in New Jersey

Our Client’s Challenge

NJ 440 is an expressway connecting the Garden State Parkway (GSP), U.S. Route 9, and Interstate 287 to the Outerbridge Crossing at the New York-New Jersey state line. NJ 440 is a critical transportation link in one of the nation’s most extensive roadway corridors, connecting vehicular traffic for more than 20 million residents of the New York City metropolitan area.

In 1972, a massive interchange between NJ 440, I-287, the New Jersey Turnpike, and GSP—locally known as “Spaghetti Junction”—was opened to traffic. However, in the half-century since its opening, the interchange’s decks were in poor condition, and in need of replacement.

Our Solution

Gannett Fleming’s services included final engineering design and construction services to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) for bridge deck replacement and rehabilitation of both the northbound and southbound NJ 440 bridges in Woodbridge Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey.

The project was initially scoped as a deck replacement project with incidental bearing repairs that included the resetting of overextended rocker bearings and limited bearing replacement at discrete locations. However, further investigation revealed the need to replace all 140 bearings due to extensive corrosion caused by water penetration through the deck joints. As the project’s magnitude grew, our team worked with the contractor to make the necessary changes to the maintenance of traffic scheme to ensure all work could be performed safely and without adverse impact to traffic. As part of that effort, our team employed phased, accurate prediction models of lead times required by the bearing manufacturer to keep the contractor’s construction schedule intact.

Gannett Fleming also coordinated and performed:

Surveying/mapping.
Highway/traffic engineering.
Maintenance and protection of traffic.
Highway lighting.
ITS elements.
Community relations.
Construction cost estimates.

NJDOT required adequate traffic flows through the high-volume corridor by minimizing lane and road closures, especially during workday hours. The congested interchange required innovative approaches to minimize traffic impact and maintain control of the work area.

Through on-site visual inspections and detailed traffic analysis, our team determined that most of the NJ 440 traffic exits to the GSP southbound ramp just prior to the construction area, thereby requiring the closure of only two lanes in this short segment. This “extra” space allowed the contractor to efficiently build more structure while allowing commuters to move easily and safely throughout the work zone.

Key Features

Replaced deficient bridge decks and deck joints.
Replaced deteriorated bearings.
Rehabilitated aged substructure units.
Replaced collision-damaged steel superstructure components.
Replaced bridge railing and approach guide rail attachments.
Replaced and upgraded under-bridge lighting.
Relocated intelligent transportation system (ITS) conduits.
Milling/resurfacing within the project limits.

Outcomes

Extends service life of the bridge by at least 50 years.
Maintains adequate levels of traffic flows by minimizing lane and road closures.
New bridge deck, bearings, railings, lighting, and approach slabs.