Route 52 Causeway Bridges


Location Somers Point and Ocean City, NJ

Duration August 2009 – December 2012

Joint Venture Partner R.E. Pierson Construction Co.

Partnership Route 52 Constructors

Description This is a $250 million bridge replacement project between Somers Point, NJ and Ocean City, NJ. This is the largest project ever let for bid by NJDOT. The project includes 4 miles of new highway and bridge replacement with a new visitor’s center for Ocean City. The project involves replacing two bascule bridges on the causeway with four-lane, high-level, fixed spans over Ship Channel and Beach Thoroughfare (Intracoastal Waterway). The high spanned bridges will eliminate the need for drawbridges. The roadway replacement and improvements between Ocean City and Somers Point includes eliminating the Somers Point Circle. Most of the project is being built from barges on the water.

Key Challenges & Project Details

  • Includes 2 bridges with 520,000 SF of bridge deck
  • Concrete Piles: 92,000 LF
  • Retaining walls: 34,000 SF
  • Drainage pipe: 16,000 LF
  • Asphalt Paving: 88,000 SY
  • Excavation: 125,000 CY
  • Installing over 1,000 30-inch square concrete pile that average over 90-ft long
  • Installing over 300 concrete pre-stressed beams averaging 100-ft long
  • Building a new visitor’s center for the city of Ocean City
  • Building 4 fishing piers off of the main structure at Somers Point Boardwalk, Rainbow Island North, Rainbow Island South and Visitors Center
  • Route 52 is the emergency evacuation route for Ocean City
  • Approximately 60% of the structure is being built from the water
  • FUN FACTS
    There are enough barges on this project to cover 2-1/2 acres of land!

    300 Ton Cranes are floating around on barges for this project.

    Jetting was used for the complex piling and marine construction. Jetting involves blowing sand thru piling with a hose, then driving the piles. The piles weigh 1100 lbs/foot

    Rt 52 Constructors owns 2 of the 5 specialized hammers. Made by American Pile Driving Equipment, each pile hammer weighs 95,000 pounds.

Web Site Link http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/commuter/roads/route52/