Friendship Road Bridge Repair Expected to be Finished Within Four to Six Weeks

The ongoing work by Middlesex County to repair the Friendship Road bridge is expected to be completed within four to six weeks. Township Manager Bernard Hvozdovic announced the target date at Tuesday evening's Township Council meeting.

The small bridge suffered significant damage during Hurricane Irene and has been impassable due to a gaping hole ever since.

Repair work on the bridge began in the third week of December with an initial target date for the reopening expected some time in March, however the work could stretch into April depending on the weather.

Before the bridge was washed out during the onslaught of Hurricane Irene, the county road had been under repair for two years and a metal plate was installed in the bridge as a temporary measure. The metal plate was to be a stopgap until the appropriate permits could be obtained from the Department of Environmental Protection for the full needed repairs.

Middlesex County is currently performing extensive work on the washed out bridge to avoid any future storm-related problems, Mayor Frank Gambatese said last year.

The repair project is not expected to have any additional traffic-related impact, Hvozdovic said.