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Landing Lane Bridge is part of County Route 609 and spans the Raritan River and the Delaware and Raritan Canal in New Jersey. The two lane bridge connects Piscataway to the north with New Brunswick to the south. The approaching roadways on both sides are known as "Landing Lane." The Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park and towpath is accessible from the bridge.
Landing Lane Bridge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 40°30′31″N 74°27′50″W / 40.50861°N 74.46389°W |
| Carries | 2 lanes of  CR 609 (Landing Lane) and 1 sidewalk |
| Crosses | Raritan River |
| Locale | New Brunswick and Piscataway, Middlesex County, New Jersey |
| Maintained by | Middlesex County |
| Characteristics | |
| No. of spans | 3 |
| Piers in water | 2 |
| History | |
| Opened | 1895 |
| Location | |
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History
editThe current span officially was opened in 1895, replacing a previous structure. However, the entire metal grate deck and steel truss was replaced in 1995 with a slightly wider modern metal beam structure and an asphalt covered roadway.[1] The piers were only refurbished rather than being replaced, as this would have required Coast Guard approval, which would have added years to the refurbishment project. (The river, though unnavigable at this location, is under Coast Guard jurisdiction as it is tidal from Raritan Bay to a few hundred yards north of the Landing Lane Bridge.) This complication also prevented the bridge from being replaced with a four-lane-wide span. The plaque from the 1895 metal truss structure is on display at the northern end of the bridge.
During the American Revolutionary War, Washington's troops were retreating from the British over the Landing Lane Bridge. Washington ordered his troops to destroy the bridge to impede the British. The bridge was partially destroyed before the British caught up with them.[2]
The bridge helps to connect the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000 mile long trail system connecting Maine to Florida.
Gallery
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The original truss bridge in 1991 -
Plaque from the 1895 bridge
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Deak, Mike. "New Brunswick: Landing Lane bridge over Delaware & Raritan Canal to be replaced". MyCentralJersey.com. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
- ^ "Landing Bridge, Spanning Raritan River at Landing Lane" (PDF). Data Pages. HAER NJ-74. National Park Service.
External links
edit
Media related to Landing Lane Bridge at Wikimedia Commons- Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. NJ-74, "Landing Bridge, Spanning Raritan River at Landing Lane, New Brunswick, Middlesex County, NJ", 15 photos, 17 data pages, 2 photo caption pages
- "Landing Lane Bridge - 1895. Raritan Landing, Piscataway Township". The Historical Marker Database.
- Landing Lane Bridge at Structurae
