Point No Point Bridge Replacement Newark, Essex County, Kearny, Hudson County, New Jersey

The Point No Point (PNP) Bridge replacement project includes construction of a new movable single-leaf bascule bridge, along Conrail’s P&H line between Kearny and Newark, over the Passaic River. The new PNP bridge will be built upon six reinforced concrete piers that are supported by a total of (26) 9 diameter, steel cased drilled shas. New reinforced concrete abutments will be supported by over (330) steel H-piles totaling more than 17,000.

The new bridge will have a steel superstructure with span lengths varying from about 77 up to 138 between piers, and roughly 173 bascule span. The steel girder heel sections of the bascule span stand approximately 28 feet tall and are supported by fixed trunnions located on top of steel towers. Counter- weight boxes will be installed on top of each heel section and filled with lead to provide the proper balance conditions in the open and closed positions. Balance will be achieved with the use of lead balance blocks and plates totaling approximately 3.7 million pounds. The bridge will operate with twin drive machinery assemblies housed within a steel framed machinery house.

The machinery house will contain all the mechanical and electrical equipment needed to operate the moveable span. Two Span Lock machinery assemblies will be constructed on elevated platforms to lock the li span in place while in the closed position. The two navigational channels will be flanked by a composite lumber fender system that protects the bridge’s concrete piers from vessel impacts. Two cast in place retaining walls will be constructed on spread footings adjacent to the active rail tracks. A second bridge (roughly 100 span) will also be constructed over PATH tracks on the Kearny side. Like the new PNP bridge, new pile supported abutments (164 piles/~9,000 LF) will be constructed. Work on the approaches to the bridge includes extensive track work, excavation/support of excavation, wick drains, geotechnical instrumentation, embankment construction, topsoil/seeding, underground utilities and track subballast and ballast installation. Upon completion and opening of the newly constructed bridges, the existing PNP bridge and the smaller PATH bridge will be demolished.

Extensive coordination between GHC crews and railroad forces, including several different owners such as CONRAIL, CSX, PANYNJ, Amtrak and NJ Transit is an essential component of this project.