We are beyond thrilled to announce that NJ Department of Transportation (DOT) Acting Commissioner Francis O’Connor joined Bordentown City officials and Senator Troy Singleton’s office today to tour the historic Farnsworth Avenue bridge and officially announced that the bridge will be repaired, rather than torn down and replaced, ending several years of speculation and worry on the part of the community.
As the oldest stone masonry arch bridge spanning a railway in the entire country, the historical and geological implications of replacing the bridge would have been significant. Farnsworth Avenue was expected to be closed to traffic for upwards of two years if the bridge were to be replaced, and the physical and economic impact on the surrounding community could have been potentially devastating. But together, city officials, Senator Singleton’s office, and a number of city organizations rallied, meeting and communicating with DOT officials numerous times, passing a governing body resolution, and signing petitions to advocate for repairing, rather than replacing the bridge.
“On behalf of the governing body, we cannot thank NJ DOT and Commissioner O’Connor enough for their willingness to listen to our concerns and work with us to craft a win-win situation for everyone. We also owe Senator Singleton and his staff a debt of gratitude for quickly jumping into action and advocating for Bordentown City every step of the way, which ultimately helped us forge this compromise.” “This solution will protect public safety without creating any major disruptions that could have harmed our small, local businesses, the Veterans Memorial, or any number of historical features in our downtown, including the bridge itself. A special thanks also goes out to the members of the Veterans Memorial Committee, the DBA, and the Historical Society who played a pivotal role by lending their time and expertise to advocate for repairing this historic bridge. This was truly a team effort over the last few years with the community at large coming together and rallying to preserve our historic charm,” said Mayor Jennifer Sciortino.