FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Puglisi s7

Please post the following press release about the Northfield Avenue Bridge in Livingston under the date of April 20. Thanks.

Anthony

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Puglisi April 20, 2007 973-621-2542 Lauren Shears 973-621-1590

ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO REOPENS SECOND NEW BRIDGE ON EAST NORTHFIELD ROAD IN LIVINGSTON County Makes $3 Million in Upgrades to Rebuild Bridges over Canoe Brook and Bear Brook

Livingston, NJ – On Friday, April 20th, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced the project to reconstruct the East Northfield Road Bridge over Canoe Brook in Livingston was finished. The work was part of more than $3 million in infrastructure upgrades made to East Northfield Road within the last year. Another bridge along East Northfield Road over Bear Brook was rebuilt in May 2006.

“Modernizing our infrastructure makes our roadways safe for motorists and improves the quality of life for our residents,” DiVincenzo said. “East Northfield Road is a major thoroughfare in Livingston that people depend on for getting to work and school. Working with the township, we were able to minimize the disruption and inconvenience to our residents, local businesses and motorists,” he added.

“It’s always wonderful to see road improvements being completed in Essex County,” Freeholder Patricia Sebold said. “I appreciate the attention that the County Executive gives to making sure our infrastructure is modern and safe,” she added.

Replacement of the East Northfield Road Bridge over Canoe Brook started on June 5, 2006. The bridge was reopened to traffic in January, but the final road surface was not paved and striped until April, when warmer weather conditions prevailed. The replacement was built in two stages, shifting traffic to different lanes to keep the roadway open during construction. The new bridge is constructed of pre-cast, pre-stressed reinforced concrete beams over reinforced existing abutment walls. It is 100 feet wide and a span of 29 feet. The original bridge was constructed in 1923 and widened in 1937. The original single-span bridge was made with steel stringers encased in concrete over masonry abutments.

“I want to thank the County for completing two bridge reconstructions in the last year. It helps keep our infrastructure up to date,” Mayor Steve Santola said. “I couldn’t be happier with the cooperation we have received from the County Executive DiVincenzo and his administration during the past four and a half years,” he added.

HAKS Engineers were awarded a $249,687 contract to design the bridge over the Canoe Brook and provide construction inspection services. Colonelli Brothers, Inc. received a $1,762,088 contract to build the new structure. The project was funded through a 1999 bridge reconstruction bond from the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Replacement of the East Northfield Road Bridge over Bear Brook, completed in May 2006, was accomplished in seven months – one month ahead of schedule. The new bridge is a pre-cast concrete box culvert 102 feet wide with a span of 23 feet, which are the same dimensions of the original 1937 bridge. The old structure was a single span, reinforced concrete slab over masonry abutments.

Sheladia Associates, Inc. received a $138,775 contract to design the bridge over Bear Brook and Perrello Contractors, Inc. received an $842,463 contract to build it. HAKS Engineers provided construction inspection services for $64,250. The project was funded through a 1999 bridge reconstruction bond from the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Replacing the two bridges on East Northfield Avenue is part of the DiVincenzo administration’s initiative to modernize the County’s infrastructure and make roadways safe for motorists and pedestrians. Other infrastructure improvements completed in Livingston by the DiVincenzo administration are the installation of a pedestrian street crossing signal in front of the Harrison Elementary School on North Livingston Avenue, the installation of new traffic signals at the intersection of South Livingston Avenue and Cedar Street, rebuilding of the West Oakwood Avenue Bridge, and the repaving of a portion of Livingston Avenue.

Other bridges that have been upgraded are the Bloomfield Avenue Bridge over the Peckman River in Verona, Park Avenue Bridge in Newark, the Madison Avenue Bridge in Irvington, Hillside Avenue Bridge in Glen Ridge, Baldwin Street Bridge in Bloomfield, Ridgewood Road Bridge and Vauxhall Road Bridge in Millburn, Washington Street/Willowdale Avenue Culvert in Montclair, Runnymede Road Bridge in Essex Fells, Kirkpatrick Lane Culvert in West Caldwell, Pier Lane Culvert in Fairfield and Grandview Avenue and Little Falls Road culverts in North Caldwell.