Reconstruction of the Lincoln Avenue Bridge over the NEC Rail Line, an Inactive Rail Yard, and the Assunpink Creek
Public Information Center
December 7, 2020 - February 18, 2021
Note: The end date for the PIC has been extended from December 18, 2020 to February 18, 2021.
Event Details
Mercer County, which is committed to developing transportation improvements that best balance transportation needs, the environment, community concerns and costs, is holding this virtual Public Information Center (PIC) in coordination with the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) to provide local residents and businesses with information on the Reconstruction of the Lincoln Avenue Bridge over the NEC Rail Line, an Inactive Rail Yard, and the Assunpink Creek Project.
Due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency this Public Information Center will be held virtually. Please visit this website anytime between December 7th 2020 and February 18th, 2021 to review our presentation of the project and to submit questions and/or leave feedback (see the bottom of this page). Property owners with rental units are advised that tenants are also invited and encouraged to participate.
Additional Details
The Reconstruction of the Lincoln Avenue Bridge over the NEC Rail Line, an Inactive Rail Yard, and the Assunpink Creek Project is located in the City of Trenton, Mercer County. The bridge is denoted as Mercer County Structure No.140.9 and NJDOT Structure No. 100-055, and it carries Lincoln Avenue over the Amtrak Northeast Corridor Rail Line, an inactive rail yard and the Assunpink Creek.
The overall purpose of this project is to replace the bridge, which was originally built in 1931 and was reconstructed in 1965, to provide a low maintenance, long-term solution that eliminates all existing structural deficiencies; incorporates operational, safety and pedestrian access improvements to the bridge and the approach roadways; and minimizes impacts to the adjoining community and environment.
The existing bridge is structurally deficient with the superstructure of the bridge in serious condition due to the exposed, moderately to severely rusted steel in the girders and floorbeams at the areas of missing encasement. As a result, the deck is also in poor condition with large areas of spalled and delaminated concrete with exposed rusted rebar. The substructure is in fair condition due to wide vertical cracks, large spalls and delaminated concrete with exposed rusted rebar, and loose coping. This bridge has a sufficiency rating of 46.2. It should be noted that the fact that a bridge is "structurally deficient" does not imply that it is unsafe. It means the bridge must be monitored, inspected and maintained and possibly rehabilitated or replaced.
The proposed improvements include replacement of the existing bridge with a new bridge on a similar alignment consisting of five spans with a cast-in-place reinforced concrete deck. The roadway width on the bridge will be improved to provide right side shoulders and bicycle compatibility. Sidewalks will be maintained along both sides of the bridge. Context Sensitive Design applications including aesthetic treatment and roadway lighting will be incorporated into the project to provide a visually appealing bridge to the public and recognize the historical context of the site. In addition, the traffic signal and curb ramps at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue / Chambers Street and E. State Street will be upgraded to meet current MUTCD and ADA requirements.