Residents, School Officials React to Bridge Replacement

A bridge on Springfield Avenue will be closed for about 12 months according to Union County officials.

The bridge, which spans the Rahway River, is often used by commuters for Orange Avenue School and Cranford High School. Both schools open Thursday, Sept. 10.

Wayne Avery, Union County spokesman, said the bridge was identified as being “functionally obsolete and in need of repair” by the county in June 2003.

After obtaining various permits and the results of environmental and traffic-related studies, construction began in late August.

The bridge replacement project is expected to take as much as a year. Construction is scheduled to be finished by Memorial Day 2010, he added.

The current detour plan has car and truck traffic traveling northbound on North Avenue East. Traffic then turns on Faitoute Avenue, which becomes North Michigan Avenue, and continues on Kenilworth Boulevard. Car traffic can then access Orange Avenue, which is closed to trucks. Truck traffic continues on Kenilworth and reconnects with Springfield Avenue near Nomahegan Park.

The detour was set up by Union County with the approval of the Cranford Police Department and the project manager of the construction.

Patrolman Russell Louedecker of the Cranford Police Traffic Bureau said there have been minor complaints from residents as “people are still trying to figure out the detour.”

He said there has been an initial police presence to ensure traffic laws are obeyed while commuters adapt to the new traffic pattern.

Once school starts, he said, there may be additional concerns due to increased traffic.

Officials from Orange Avenue School and Cranford High School said they expect a smooth transition for staff, parents and student transport.

Mary Slocum, a member of the support staff at CHS, said the school sent out a mail announcements and voice messages to parents informing them of the bridge closure and alternate routes.

Though school isn’t open yet, Slocum said school officials don’t anticipate any issues.

“We’re right on target,” she said.

Michelle Vella, principal of Orange Avenue School, said she does not anticipate commute issues when students report for the first day of school.

“I don’t foresee any problems,” Vella said. “A majority of the students live within the vicinity of the school.” 

Some residents, however, have expressed concern regarding increased traffic in several residential roads.

Mike Folger of Central Ave, said while the bridge construction and subsequent detours are inevitable, he is concerned about increased traffic and speeding near his home.

“It’s usually a quiet block, but now it's not,” Folger said. “You worry about leaving your car on the street now. There are also a lot of little kids on the block.”

He said he noticed increased presence of police cruisers along with the installation of a radar speed trailer on his street.

“You hope somehow they can control the speed of traffic,” he said.

Though he recognized the bridge work as necessary, he said he was “astounded” when he learned the construction would take approximately a year.

Chris Burdett of Holly Street, said there has been a substantial increase of traffic and believed many drivers were ignoring signs designating certain roads for local traffic only.

Speeding on his street has always been a problem, an issue that’s only exacerbated by the detour traffic, he said.

Poor signage for detours and construction has also been an issue, he said.

Burdett expressed concern for when school starts as one of his children attends CHS.

“It’s going to be a lot more dangerous for kids to walk,” he said. “I hope when the schools open, that they increase the number of crossing guards.” 

While there has been criticism, Carolyn Ruz of Springfield Avenue, who lives approximately fifty yards from the bridge, said the police and county have handled the detour situation “extremely well.”

“It hasn’t been bad,” she said. “The detour makes [traffic] flow nicely.”

Being so close to the bridge, Ruz said she is happy about the diminished and slower traffic.

“It seems much more civilized,” she said.