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Victory Bridge (New Jersey)

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Coordinates: 40°30′28″N 74°17′31″W / 40.50778°N 74.29194°W / 40.50778; -74.29194
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For other uses, see Victory Bridge (disambiguation).
Victory Bridge
The Victory Bridge as seen from the Edison Bridge
Coordinates40°30′28″N 74°17′31″W / 40.50778°N 74.29194°W / 40.50778; -74.29194
Carries4 lanes of Route 35, bikes/pedestrians
CrossesRaritan River
LocaleSayreville, New Jersey and Perth Amboy, New Jersey
Maintained byNJDOT
Characteristics
Designsegmental precast concrete
History
OpenedJune 24, 1926 (original bridge, demolished 2004)
June 8, 2004 (new bridge)
September 2, 2005 (northbound bridge)
Location
Map

The Victory Bridge is a highway bridge in the U.S. state of New Jersey that carries Route 35 over the Raritan River, connecting the Middlesex County communities of Perth Amboy on the north and Sayreville to the south. The bridge is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT).

Photo of the original Victory Bridge

The new bridge replaced the original Victory Bridge, a swing bridge dedicated to the U.S. troops who served in World War I and opened in June 1926 at ceremonies attended by 200,000 people.[1] The original bridge was in turn a replacement for the County Bridge, a swing bridge designed for pedestrians and carriages.[2] At the time of its construction, the original 360-foot Victory bridge (110 m) was the longest such structure in New Jersey.[3]

The new bridge consists of twin structures (northbound and southbound), each carrying two 12-foot travel lanes (3.7 m), a 10-foot bike lane/outside shoulder (3.0 m) and a 3-foot shoulder (0.91 m). The southbound bridge also has a 6-foot-wide sidewalk (1.8 m). The bridge was designed with a record-setting 134-meter main span (440 ft)—the longest precast cantilever segmental construction in the United States. To reduce the construction time, the NJDOT selected the segmental precast concrete construction method for both the superstructure and substructure. The department estimated that by using this type of approach, it would reduce the duration of construction by at least one year and save millions of dollars in life cycle costs.[4]

Construction on the first half of the new high level fixed bridge across the Raritan River was completed on June 8, 2004.[5] The old Victory Bridge was then demolished and the new northbound parallel bridge was constructed in its place. The new, northbound section of the bridge opened to traffic on September 2, 2005.[6] The new high-level fixed bridge eliminates traffic delays caused when opening the former low-level swing bridge to allow boat traffic to pass through.

At each end of the new bridge are concrete stanchions, containing the original bridge's dedication plaque on one side and the new one's on the other. On the bridge's light poles, a feature arriving with the new bridge, are plaques honoring various battles in which American troops participated.

In the decade through 2014, nearly 80 individuals have attempted suicide by jumping off the new Victory Bridge, resulting in 22 deaths.[7][8] In February 2011, The City of Perth Amboy sent a resolution to Governor Chris Christie and the New Jersey General Assembly requesting the addition of a fence along the Victory Bridge. Currently there are no phones along the bridge route but there are suicide hotline numbers listed along the bridge's route.[9] Following the temporary closure of the pedestrian sidewalks and bike lanes in October 2014, NJDOT officials installed five-foot-high (1.5 m) fences along both sides to prevent further suicides.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Staff. "200,000 AT OPENING OF VICTORY BRIDGE; Gov. Moore Reviews Parade at Dedication of Span to War Dead at Perth Amboy. PACIFISM IS ASSAILED Hugh L. Scott Says the Soldier Makes Peace in Conflicts -- Ex-Gov. Silzer Also at Dinner.", The New York Times, June 25, 1926. Accessed June 5, 2017. "PERTH AMBOY, N.J., June 24. -The new Victory Bridge over the Raritan River connecting the Amboys, Perth and South, was formally opened today with ceremonies which were witnessed by about 200,000 persons."
  2. ^ "The County Bridge | Morgan, New Jersey". Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  3. ^ Hart, Jolene. "War vets, governor, elephants open bridge", Suburban News, June 10, 2004. Accessed June 5, 2017. "The original Victory Bridge, the longest swing bridge in the state, opened in 1926 to a crowd of 200,000 people. At the time it was called 'the greatest structure ever built,' said Jack Lettiere, the current state Department of Transportation commissioner."
  4. ^ Freyermuth, Clifford L. "Segmental Concrete Bridges; A Major 21st Century Alternative", Structure magazine, October 2005. Accessed June 5, 2017.
  5. ^ Route 35 Victory Bridge Overview, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed June 5, 2017.
  6. ^ "Lettiere announces completion of Route 35 Victory Bridge and Victory Circle Project", New Jersey Department of Transportation, October 27, 2005. Accessed June 5, 2017. "The northbound bridge was completed in April 2005. The approaching roadways, bridge railings, barriers, and bridge monuments for the northbound structure were completed in time to open the northbound bridge to traffic on September 2, 2005."
  7. ^ a b Attrino, Anthony G. (November 11, 2014). "Fence goes up on Victory Bridge, where 23 suicides have occurred (PHOTOS)". NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
  8. ^ Antonelli, Toniann. "25-year-old rescued from water after jumping off Victory Bridge", WKXW, March 20, 20116. Accessed June 5, 2017. "Between 2004 and 2014, there were approximately 80 suicide attempts and 22 deaths at the Victory Bridge, Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz told NJ 101.5."
  9. ^ Rogers, Dan (February 29, 2012). "Officials seek to prevent suicides on Victory Bridge". The Daily Targum. New Brunswick, N.J. Retrieved 2014-01-04.
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