News of “repairing, not replacing” the historic Farnsworth Avenue bridge was welcome news to Bordentown City as a whole in June.
New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Acting Commissioner Francis O’Connor memorialized the decision in a letter to Bordentown City Mayor Jennifer Sciortino on Sept. 18.
“The department will move forward with a project to repair the Farnsworth Avenue Bridge over the railroad tracks rather than the originally planned replacement of the bridge,” O’Connor stated in the letter.
“By changing the scope of the project, NJDOT will investigate what kind of repairs can be done to improve the structural integrity of the bridge in a manner that minimizes the impact to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic, as well as rail traffic.”
As the oldest stone masonry arch bridge spanning a railway in the entire country, the historical and geological implications of replacing the bridge would have been significant. Farnsworth Avenue was expected to be closed to traffic for upwards of two years if the bridge were to be replaced, and the physical and economic impact on the surrounding community could have been potentially devastating, city officials had said.
On Oct. 13, the public can learn more about the C&A (Camden and Amboy) Railroad and the tunnel that runs beneath Prince Street, Farnsworth Avenue, and Second Street during a program at 1 p.m. in Old City Hall. Why were these tracks run through the city streets? The C&A Railroad is one of the two oldest continuously used railroad right-of-ways in America.
Afterward, at 2 p.m., the public can enjoy a walking tour with Pierre LaCombe, exploring the sites of the three previous passenger stations, the former Camden & Amboy railroad work yard, and the location of a new outdoor exhibition highlighting the company’s history and innovations.
In 2019, NJDOT had proposed plans to replace the bridge calling it “deficient.” In the proposal, Farnsworth Avenue would be closed for a two-year period. The Veterans Memorial was going to be removed and stored during bridge construction and then reassembled once the construction was complete.
Together, city officials, Sen. Troy Singleton’s office, and a number of city organizations rallied. They met and communicated with DOT officials numerous times, passed a governing body resolution, and signed petitions to advocate for repairing, rather than replacing the bridge.
“On behalf of the governing body, we cannot thank New Jersey DOT and Commissioner O’Connor enough for their willingness to listen to our concerns and work with us to craft a win-win situation for everyone,” Sciortino had said. “We also owe Sen. Singleton and his staff a debt of gratitude for quickly jumping into action and advocating for Bordentown City every step of the way, which ultimately helped us forge this compromise.
“This solution will protect public safety without creating any major disruptions that could have harmed our small, local businesses, the Veterans Memorial, or any number of historical features in our downtown, including the bridge itself.
“A special thanks also goes out to the members of the Veterans Memorial Committee, the DBA (Downtown Bordentown Association), and the [Bordentown] Historical Society who played a pivotal role by lending their time and expertise to advocate for repairing this historic bridge,” Sciortino said. “This was truly a team effort over the last few years with the community at large coming together and rallying to preserve our historic charm.”
