The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is currently overseeing reconstruction of the Route 208 bridge over Lafayette Avenue (CR 665) in Hawthorne Borough, Passaic County.

The bridge features two travel lanes in each direction plus a deceleration lane for southbound traffic and an acceleration lane for northbound vehicles. The latter two lanes and the southbound ramp to Route 208 northbound will be closed during the first phase of the project, which has been designed so that Route 208 will have two traffic lanes open in both directions for the life of the job.

The $3.1 million federally funded project has become necessary because the present bridge, constructed in 1959 and widened in 1971, is now structurally deficient. According to NJDOT the bridge carries approximately 79,000 vehicles a day.

Belleville, N.J., based Ritacco Construction Inc, is serving as general contractor for the project, which involves complete replacement of the bridge superstructure, including abutment seats, backwall, structural steel girders, bridge deck, sidewalks, and parapets. The job also involves replacement of Route 208 approach slabs in both directions. Work began in December 2011 and is scheduled for completion in December 2012.

“The project was originally designed as a pre-cast structure, which Ritacco Construction re-designed as cast in place. A similar project that we completed at the end of 2010 was NJDOT Grove Street Bridge over Route 46 in Clifton, N.J.,” said Tony Ritacco, president of Ritacco Construction Inc.

Workers on the job include Local 472 Laborers, Local Local 483 Iron Workers, and Local 825 Operating Engineers and Northeast Regional Carpenters.

“Currently we have a Grove RT 35-ton crane, Komatsu PC228 excavator, John Deere 310 backhoe, Caterpillar 325 excavator, Genie Z60 lift, Komatsu PC78 excavator, and a Rockblaster RB1300G demolition hammer working on the job,” Ritacco said.

“The Grove crane is being utilized for removal and erection of the structural steel girders and the Komatsu PC228 and Rockblaster for bridge and abutment demolition. The Cat 325 excavator is in use for excavation and loading of excavated materials and the Genie Z60 lift for aerial installation work, while the Komatsu PC78 and John Deere 310 backhoe are construction support pieces,” he added.

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