PARSIPPANY — Morris County announced that work will begin Thursday, September 24, to replace the Intervale Road bridge in Parsippany, requiring it to be closed to traffic for about four months.
The tiny county-owned span, which crosses a tributary of Troy Brook, carries as many as 600 vehicles daily. Detour signs already have been installed to guide traffic on alternate routes of about a mile in both directions, employing Intervale Road and Lake Drive.
The $726,360 project, financed by Morris County, will include replacement of the existing structure and both roadway approaches. The original stone masonry for the arch bridge was built about 120 years ago, and then widened and reinforced in 1940.
Bordered by guide rails on both sides, the bridge is only six-feet long and 31-feet wide. It carries two lanes of traffic in eastbound and westbound directions. While a bridge evaluation report lists the bridge to be in overall “fair” condition, the original stone arch has been deteriorating. It will be more cost-effective to replace the bridge rather than continue costly maintenance.
Morris County is moving ahead on many bridge projects this year, taking advantage of lighter traffic during the COVID-19 crisis to get work done with less impact to the motoring public.
