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Revision as of 02:17, 19 August 2023 by JE98 (talk | contribs) (→Replacement: It actually opened that Saturday, October 2, 2021)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) Bridge in New Jersey, US| Wittpenn Bridge | |
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 Current span of the bridge | |
| Coordinates | 40°44′26″N 74°04′53″W / 40.740625°N 74.081336°W / 40.740625; -74.081336 (Wittpenn Bridge) |
| Carries |  Route 7Future East Coast Greenway |
| Crosses | Hackensack River |
| Locale | Jersey City and Kearny, New Jersey |
| Official name | Wittpenn Bridge |
| Other name(s) | Route 7 Bridge |
| Maintained by | New Jersey Department of Transportation |
| ID number | 0909150 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Lift bridge |
| Total length | 2,169 feet (661 m) |
| Width | 40 feet (12 m) |
| Longest span | 83 feet (25 m) |
| Clearance below | 35 feet (11 m) (lowered) 100 feet (30 m) (raised) |
| History | |
| Opened | November 5, 1930 |
| Location | |
The Wittpenn Bridge is a vertical-lift bridge that carries New Jersey Route 7 over the Hackensack River in Jersey City and Kearny, in Hudson County, New Jersey. It is named after H. Otto Wittpenn, a former mayor of Jersey City. The bridge has an annual average daily traffic (AADT) of nearly 50,000 vehicles, including about 2,000 trucks. In 2005, the bridge was raised 80 times to accommodate boats passing underneath. The original span opened in 1930; its replacement opened in 2021.
Original structure
The original bridge carried four 10-foot-wide (3.0 m) lanes, extended 2,169 feet (661 m) and stood 35 feet (11 m) above mean high water with a 209-foot (64 m) main lift span. Bridge construction commenced in 1927, and it was opened to vehicular traffic on November 5, 1930. When raised, the bridge provided 100 feet (30 m) of clearance for ships. Raising the lift span required 15 minutes. Following the opening of the 2021 span, demolition work commenced on this span with work being substantially complete by March 2022.
Replacement
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) replaced the Wittpenn Bridge and all its approach ramps (including connections to U.S. Route 1/9), a project estimated to cost $600 million, funded by federal dollars. The first phase of construction began in July 2011. The new span opened in 2021, and all associated project work is expected to be completed in 2022. The new bridge is situated just north of the existing bridge.
The reconstruction of the bridge was partially funded by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In November 2018, the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) investigated a complaint raised by United Airlines that the fees they were paying for Newark Airport use were being diverted to roadway and bridge projects such as the Wittpenn Bridge which are not owned or operated by the Port Authority.
In October 2020 the third and final section of the orthotropic bridge deck was hoisted into place. The bridge opened on October 2, 2021.
In addition to Route 7, the new span carries the East Coast Greenway, a long-distance biking and walking trail, and the Meadowlands Connector, a New Jersey biking and walking trail that links Hudson and Essex counties.
See also
References
- "Historic Bridge Survey (1991–1994)" (PDF). NJDOT. 2001. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
- ^ Picture this: Drawbridge Operator, The Record (Bergen County), April 11, 2005
- "Engineered Rigging overcomes bridge demolition challenges". Move It Magazine. March 30, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
- "5 years done, 6 to go for new $480M Wittpenn Bridge". 21 December 2016.
- Conti Group (2011). "Conti to Kick off Wittpenn Bridge Repairs" 2011-07-18.
- "Another new bridge quietly rises in shadow of the Pulaski Skyway". NJ.com. 14 May 2015.
- Higgs, Larry (January 29, 2019). "Feds question Port Authority's use of airline fees to fund bridge projects". NJ.com.
- "Section of new Wittpenn Bridge hoisted into place -- but it's not ready to open yet". 11 October 2020.
- Canessa Jr., Kevin (21 September 2021). "New Wittpenn Bridge is opening Oct. 1 and it's welcome news for Hudson drivers". NJ.com. The Jersey Journal. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- NJ.com, Steve Strunsky | NJ Advance Media for (2021-10-02). "New Wittpenn Bridge opens after 10 years and half a billion dollars". nj. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
- "New bike, walking trail would link N.J.'s 2 largest cities". 27 March 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
External links
Media related to Wittpenn Bridge at Wikimedia Commons- Wittpenn Bridge at Bridges & Tunnels
- Wittpenn Bridge Replacement Project at New Jersey Department of Transportation
- Wittpenn Bridge at NYCroads.com
- Wittpenn Bridge at Structurae
| Crossings of the Hackensack River | ||||
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