Title
Dept/ Agency: Engineering
Action: ( ) Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: Supporting Resolution
Purpose: Resolution supporting the preliminary preferred alternative for complete bridge replacement for the Central Avenue Bridge on existing alignment with a single span bridge structure over the City Subway
Location:
Central Avenue Bridge over NJ Transit City Subway, between Jay Street and Duryea Street.
body
WHEREAS, the Central Avenue Bridge (Structure No. 0700-N06) over the NJ Transit City Subway, between Jay Street and Duryea Street, was constructed in 1908 and is experiencing a number of simultaneous and pressing safety concerns due to degraded and obsolete infrastructure and is functionally obsolete due to its inadequate underclearance; and
WHEREAS, the bridge spans the Newark City Subway, which provides city and regional transit connections to Newark’s Central Business District (CBD), University Heights, Newark Penn Station and Broad Street Station; and the roadway portion of Central Avenue (C.R. 508) above the bridge is a primary arterial serving as a major east-west route connecting commuters and city residents with Interstate 280, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), Rutgers University and Newark’s CBD; and
WHEREAS, the City of Newark, Department of Engineering, has determined that the bridge is in need of major rehabilitation and/or replacement and through the federally funded Local Concept Development (LCD) Phase of the Local Capital Project Delivery (LCPD) Program administered by North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), has performed an alternatives analysis to identify and evaluate viable and feasible alternatives to replace and/or rehabilitate the bridge; and
WHEREAS, the NJTPA and the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) have been project team members with the City of Newark; and
WHEREAS, the project team held two (2) public information center meetings to inform the public and receive comments and input for the project; and
WHEREAS, the project team met with respective municipal representatives and stakeholders to inform them and receive comments and input for the project; and
WHEREAS, based on the alternatives analysis and the public and municipal comments, the project team’s preliminary preferred alternative (PPA), referred to as Alternative 6, is a complete replacement of the bridge on the existing alignment with a single span bridge structure over the City Subway; and
WHEREAS, the City of Newark is desirous of completing the LCD phase and proceed to the Local Preliminary Engineering (LPE) and Final Design (FD) phases of the LCPD Program; and
WHEREAS, to qualify to receive federal funding for the LPE and FD phases, a Resolution of Support endorsing the project from the City of Newark is required and will be included in the LCD study documentation.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, THAT:
1. The City of Newark and the Municipal Council hereby supports the preliminary preferred alternative, Alternative 6, complete bridge replacement for the Central Avenue Bridge on existing alignment with a single span bridge structure over the City Subway.
2. The City of Newark is not required to provide any funds for this project.
STATEMENT
The City of Newark and the Municipal Council hereby supports the preliminary preferred alternative, Alternative 6, which is a complete bridge replacement for the Central Avenue Bridge on the existing alignment with a single span bridge structure over the City of Newark Subway.