Passaic River bridges

Submitted by rollotomasi07071 t3_zyfzku in newjersey

The Belleville Turnpike / Rutgers Street bridge was reconstructed around 2002 as a vertical lift drawbridge. Meanwhile, only 5 miles north, the Union Avenue Bridge between Rutherford and Passaic was also reconstructed at the same time, except as a fixed bridge, incapable of opening. (The Lyndhurst/Nutley Bridge is halfway inbetween but is capable of opening.)

So someone somewhere decided that at some point, the Rutgers Street Bridge might need to open, but any river traffic would need to go no further than the Union Street Bridge. Which doesn't make any sense. There are no ports or docks between bridges. There was no industry on the river even in the 90s when plans were developed.

Why would they need to spend millions more to build the Rutgers Street Bridge as a drawbridge?

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PracticableSolution t1_j26ilp5 wrote

The Belleville turnpike bridge is much lower at about 15’ when closed and ducks under route 21, so it can’t be raised for a fixed conversion, so even for the lightest river traffic, it must lift. The Route 3 bridge up the river was raised and converted to a fixed bridge with double the clearance so river traffic can go under it. All these decisions cost tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. They are not made lightly and the Army Corps and Coast Guard are the real deciding factors, not the DOT

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rollotomasi07071 OP t1_j26m657 wrote

But those Rutgers St bridge towers are enormous. What were they thinking would have to pass underneath? A cruise ship?

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PracticableSolution t1_j26mp9i wrote

They’re ridiculous and if one fell over it could be the bridge all by itself. It comes down to the fact that almost all the cost and effort is in the machinery, so is it worth it to hold a project up over 10’ of tower? Probably not. It’s like asking if you’re going through all the effort to buy a truck to drive to work 10 times a year, does 15 miles matter more than 10? Not really because all the cost is in buying the truck.

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Castor_and_Pollux123 t1_j263okc wrote

When was the most recent river traffic on the Passaic, anywhere?

If those bridges needed to open, wouldn't the Stickel Bridge have to as well?

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PracticableSolution t1_j29ee6i wrote

The stickel bridge can open under emergency circumstances. It’s just never needed. Coast Guard is reconsidering the access needs for the river which hopefully will allow a lot of changes on the river including the choke point stickel

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Chrisg69911 t1_j27ce0g wrote

Has that bridge even been opened? Everytime I drive past it, I wonder why such a huge bridge was needed. There's absolutely no need for ir

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vakr001 t1_j28czej wrote

As someone who is following the Kingsland Bridge reconstruction, Kearny Bridge design is due to the Coast Guard. Since the Passaic River is an outlet to the Bay of Newark, they have to approve all crossings up to a certain point. I am not sure what the criteria is.

As an FYI the Kingsland Bridge will be replaced by the end of the decade with a fixed bridge as well (no drawbridge).

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tony_boxacannoli t1_j26019r wrote

>Why would they need to spend millions more to build the Rutgers Street Bridge as a drawbridge?

so they could put up sign saying your tax dollars at work

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