Agate Construction Co., Inc. Engineers - Constructors

Phone: (609) 624-9090
Fax: (609) 624-1534
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AGATE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY COMPLETES FIRST STAGE OF ROUTE 35 BRIDGE REHABILITATION

Firm Meets First Milestone For Brielle Bridge Completion

     While most of us were making every effort to keep warm and dry during the first three months of this year, personnel from Agate Construction were making great strides on getting a start on the rehabilitation of the Route 35 bridge over the Manasquan River that connects Brielle and Point Pleasant Beach. The $32 million contract for the NJDOT involves demolition, installation of new decking, some related steel work and electrical work for the lift control system for the bridge that was first constructed over the waterway approximately 55 years ago.

     After mobilizing at the site late last year, Agate employees erected a shield under the bridge to provide a safe work environment for project personnel and marine traffic during construction. Personnel then began demolition along the center section of the bridge in order to rehabilitate certain steel supports and install a new exodermic steel deck, while repairing and replacing a portion of the twin lift bascule span. As this article was being written, Agate had completed most of the work involved in the first stage of the bridge work and had begun installing concrete, during the night, for the bridge deck.

     During this month, Agate forces will begin the second stage of the bridge rehabilitation which will involve repeating the same activities on the North bound lanes after shifting traffic to the completed center section of the bridge. When the second stage is completed, the firm will move the traffic again, while repeating the rehabilitation of the South bound lanes. The firm will install concrete median barrier to separate the North and South bound lanes of traffic after bridge rehabilitation has been completed.

     Subcontractors active at the site during the first stage of the work include Delta Line Construction which is involved in electrical installations, while Cornell & Co. and M. Painting have also completed work at the site for Agate. Major suppliers involved on the project include IDSI, which supplied the exodermic steel grid deck, JM Ahle which supplied reinforcing bars and Ralph Clayton & Sons which supplied the concrete. Jeff Roes represents Agate Construction as the project manager for this contract, while Kevin Knuettel is the firm’s project engineer at the site. The assistant superintendent for the project is Scott Sickles.  Upendral Patel is the NJDOT’s resident for the project. Approximately 40 people are employed at the site on a regular basis. This bridge rehabilitation is being completed under a number of constraints. Work areas are so narrow that Agate had to utilize various small equipment and zero radius excavators, while keeping traffic moving over the structure. The firm was also required to work within a schedule of Coast Guard channel closings which limited some construction activities at times. Agate personnel at the site noted the fact that there was considerable cooperation among all parties that assisted in the progress of the work. This positive relationship included the support offered by the Brielle and Point Pleasant Beach Police Departments

  

This excavator was utilized by Agate forces for the removal of the existing concrete deck on the Route 35 Bridge over the Manasquan River.

With the bridge deck removed the structure is pictured
prior to installation of the Exodermic deck panels on a
portion of the middle section of the Route 35 bridge.

Photo of the Exodermic bridge deck panels in place prior to the concrete placement on the Route 35 bridge.

 

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1030 Route 83 P.O. Box 107 Ocean View, NJ 08230-0107 Tel: (609) 624-9090 Fax: (609) 624-1534