The Stony Brook Bridge on Route 206 in Princeton, first built in 1792, needs major repairs Watch video
PRINCETON - New Jersey's oldest bridge, which carries Route 206 traffic over the Stony Brook in Princeton, requires major repairs to prevent the span from deteriorating, according to the Princeton Historic Preservation Commission.
The bridge, which was built in 1792, recently had to be closed for several days and highway traffic was detoured while the state Department of Transportation performed emergency repairs.
The bridge reopened on Sunday with a 20 ton weight limit being strictly enforced by Princeton police to prevent further damage.
The state DOT and engineers from Aurora and Associates met Monday with members of the Princeton Historic Preservation Commission to discuss how to repair and preserve New Jersey's oldest bridge.
"Usually we don't make comments," Elizabeth Kim of Princeton's Office of Historic Preservation said about the meeting, but added that in this situation, the state is under a time crunch.
Kim said the structural integrity of the bridge is compromised and state officials said a larger plan for repairs is in the works. The DOT shared a preliminary version of the plan with the historic preservation group on Monday.
"It's not just a Band-Aid fix," Kim said.
N.J. bridges among the worst in the U.S.
Kim said that members of the Historic Preservation Commission voiced concerns about the DOT repair plan. They have inquired about the amount of experience the engineers have with restoring or repairing historic structures. They are also concerned the bridge being in a historic district.
The DOT initially began repairs to the bridge last month after a brick parapet collapsed on the south side of the bridge. That led to additional inspections that determined more extensive damage required closure of the bridge for several days.
Workers installed a dam around footings and improved drainage to the area. They also repaved the road across the bridge before the reopening.
The Stony Brook bridge was last widened in 1916, but has not had major repairs in the years since, according to the department of transportation.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.