Route 3 Over Passaic River Bridge

Engineering a Bridge with the Community in Mind

Bergen and Passaic Counties, New Jersey

Connecting many local roads in New Jersey, the Route 3 over Passaic River project included 2.5 miles of roadway widening, six bridges, 25 retaining walls, and more than two miles of noise barriers.

The finished bridge transports commuters and shipping trucks safely over the Passaic River.

The New Jersey Route 3 over Passaic River bridge connects Passaic and Bergen counties.

A community liaison committee was formed during final scope development and was active during the bridge's drilled shaft construction.

More than two miles of noise walls use innovative glass windows to maintain a context-sensitive design and iconic New York City skyline.

The bridge now serves the neighboring communities while keeping the natural beauty of the area intact. We also used new technology to save NJ DOT $1.4 million over traditional alternatives for sewer strengthening.

The Dundee Island Preserve previously lacked a safe way to accommodate visitors. A pathway now minimizes impervious surface through open pavers, and stone dust is used where the path is in the floodplain.

Recognizing that improvements could be made through waterfront access, we worked with local stakeholders and added recreational and educational components.

The New Jersey DOT had a lot more in mind than building a bridge over the Passaic River. The $149-million Route 3 over Passaic River project represents leadership in engineering through innovative concepts and community involvement. For the main Passaic River Bridge, we specified drilled shaft foundations that retained the barrier walls on the sides of the highway and minimized interference with the river itself. Another innovation was when we worked with the local community on noise solutions and developed specialized windowed noise barrier walls to maintain residents' view of New York City. We also improved current infrastructure by employing a new technology to strengthen a 100-year-old local sanitary sewer pipe while under active flow, and made the roads safer by adding new collector-distributor roads with lengthened acceleration and deceleration lanes.

$60 million

saved through value engineering and advanced contract

$1.4 million

saved over traditional sewer strengthening alternatives

We also included environmental conservation measures throughout construction as well as added enhancements to the nearby Dundee Island Preserve, which previously was not safely accessible to the community. Here, we added waterfront access, in-kind tree replacements, and minimized disturbance to wetlands. This park is open to all for respite from the congested surrounding area and has become a favorite spot for local teachers and their classes. The Route 3 over Passaic River project was truly multi-disciplined, including unique community involvement program elements.

Owner/Client

New Jersey Department of Transportation

Miles

2.5 miles of roadway widening

Cost

$149 million

Awards

Best Project, Highways/Bridges

ENR New York

Globe Award | ARTBA

Excellence in Utility Relocation and Accommodation

FHWA

New Jersey's Leading Transportation Project Award

NJ Alliance for Action Inc.

Quality of Life/Community Development Award

NASTO

Services

Engineering

Markets

Transportation

Regions

Northeast