Thursday, December 2, 2004

County to Impose Emergency Weight and Speed Restrictions on Dorset Avenue Bridge

Effective immediately, a three ton weight limit will be in effect on the Dorset Avenue Bridge in Ventnor. The weight restriction will remain in effect until the county can make emergency repairs to replace a badly deteriorated steel beam that was identified recently during a routine state inspection of the bridge. The beam will require replacement.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation, Division of Bridges, is responsible for inspecting all state and county bridges every two years. The Dorset Avenue Bridge was found to be satisfactory when it was last inspected in 2002.

According to County Executive Dennis Levinson, until repairs can be made, the bridge will be posted with a three ton weight limit. The weight limit will require buses and most trucks to use an alternate route. The alternate route will be Ventnor Avenue to Albany Avenue to Wellington Avenue. In addition, the speed limit on Dorset Avenue near the bridge will be reduced to 25 miles per hour.

"These weight and speed limit restrictions will enable us to keep the bridge open to most traffic until the necessary repairs can be made on an expedited basis," Levinson said. "We are working with Ventnor officials to minimize the impact of these restrictions. We are also in the process of developing a construction schedule for this project. Until this is completed we can not say how long the restrictions must remain in place."

Levinson noted that the county currently maintains 175 bridges throughout the Atlantic County area. "The current problem with the Dorset Avenue Bridge is structural," Levinson noted. "The Dorset Avenue Bridge is more than 80 years old. Our previous problems with the bridge were related to its mechanical and electrical systems, both of which were upgraded in recent years."

For more information, contact Joe Maher, Department Head of Planning, at (609) 645-5898.

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