HOPEWELL VALLEY , N.J. -- CSX Railroad will step up its inspection program of its old bridges in the Hopewell Valley area and be more proactive about removing loose concrete from the underdecking and facades of those bridges, said Paul Pogorzelski, administrator/engineer of Hopewell Township, Web site centraljersey.com reported.
Pogorselski discussed the CSX bridges at Monday night's Township Committee meeting.
About a month ago, the committee sent CSX a copy of a bluntly worded resolution, passed unanimously by the committee, calling on the railroad company to improve bridge safety. The resolution was passed a few weeks after a portion of Route 654 in the township had to be closed for hours because pieces of concrete from the bridge's underdecking kept falling onto that heavily traveled roadway whenever a train crossed the bridge.
Also, within the past few years, a 1-cubic-foot piece of concrete fell on Titus Mill Road from the underdecking of the CSX bridge that crosses that road. That bridge is a short distance south of the Route 654 bridge.
Both were built in the early 20th century as was the CXS bridge that goes over Broemel Place in Pennington, about a mile and a half south of Titus Mill Road. A quick look at that bridge shows that a lot of concrete has come loose from its facings already.
Pogorzelski said CSX has told him all these bridges are structurally sound in that they are totally capable of handling the very heavy loads that go across them. The problem is loose concrete on the underdecking and facades, he said. The concrete falling off does nothing to lessen the structural integrity of the bridge in terms of handling its load, but, of course, it could be a hazard to anyone under the bridge.
Pogorzelski added CSX recently has told him it is starting a more aggressive program of inspecting these bridges and safely knocking off the loose concrete before it falls off the bridge, perhaps with someone walking or driving under it.
Township Police Chief George Meyer, who has been with the township force about 34 years, recently said he cannot recall an incident of injury or serious damage resulting from concrete falling off a CSX railroad bridge anywhere in Hopewell Valley.
(The preceding article by John Tredrea appeared on the Web site centraljersey.com on June 29, 2009.)
