6MR Pop-up TM Concrete Bridge: We are back!

Bikeworks said:
Stupid, non-engineer, layperson question; would it make sense to put some sort of interspersed arresting feature further upstream? Like some significantly spaced out boulders/rocks like you have on the shore line there? That way the trees hit that and get hung up here and there as opposed to clogging the drain so to speak.
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Should use it as a foundation for something more substantial and sustainable. It is one of most used parks in NJ.

Concrete abutments, with either steel or big ole wood beam supports. 10-15’ span. New structure can be 3’ above current bridge for debris to flow under. Will allow a much better tie in on the 27 lot side also. Good place for JORBA to flex some funds.
 
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Caught Pat as I was rolling through to help
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Since he didn't leave me with anything to do, I decided to smooth out the areas most sketchy
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And the spot with the deep gully, but there's a big rock here which won't budge. Needs more work there, I quit after wrenching my back...
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Patrick said:
it would eventually break and the whole thing would be leaning against the bridge.

A couple hours a couple times a year doesn't seem onerous - if there was a solution, other than a suspension bridge, i'd def go for it.
Maybe a train car bridge?
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A truss style bridge would be a good alternative. I work for an engineering company. I might be able to get someone to design it such that we could build it. We could use LVLs for the main girders.

Getting the bridge out of the water would do loads of good.

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christryon said:
A truss style bridge would be a good alternative. I work for an engineering company. I might be able to get someone to design it such that we could build it. We could use LVLs for the main girders.

Getting the bridge out of the water would do loads of good.

images
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when it floods there, it is a couple feet over the concrete bridge.
consider the height of the steel bridge - and it was damaged in Ida.

This would probably mean concrete abutments to support it.
Then ramp up from the boardwalk...

There is a narrower spot upstream with higher banks that might make a better candidate.
I'm not sure it is worth the hassle for a couple days of clean-up per year. we don't need to get people across
when it is flooding, because the place isn't usable anyway.

An alternate idea was to use the bridge for a base - just cut some of the top off so there is room for debris to pass by.
it seems fairly secure, but it would be subject to flooding forces at that height, and they'd probably want railings -
which would be torn off first storm....

The anal bridge gets rebuilt every so often for the same reasons. just easier to deal with that.

I have ideas for the damaged area - just being lazy getting it going.
Still need to replace those boards on the rainbow bridge too.

Better use of time may be figuring out how to get people safely across South Middlebush Road.
Hard to believe we can't get some flashing lights and a crosswalk.
 
Patrick said:
when it floods there, it is a couple feet over the concrete bridge.
consider the height of the steel bridge - and it was damaged in Ida.

This would probably mean concrete abutments to support it.
Then ramp up from the boardwalk...

There is a narrower spot upstream with higher banks that might make a better candidate.
I'm not sure it is worth the hassle for a couple days of clean-up per year. we don't need to get people across
when it is flooding, because the place isn't usable anyway.

An alternate idea was to use the bridge for a base - just cut some of the top off so there is room for debris to pass by.
it seems fairly secure, but it would be subject to flooding forces at that height, and they'd probably want railings -
which would be torn off first storm....

The anal bridge gets rebuilt every so often for the same reasons. just easier to deal with that.

I have ideas for the damaged area - just being lazy getting it going.
Still need to replace those boards on the rainbow bridge too.

Better use of time may be figuring out how to get people safely across South Middlebush Road.
Hard to believe we can't get some flashing lights and a crosswalk.
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That's a county road. Have we spoken with anyone in Somerset County? I'm willing to investigate if that's the right thing.

If you've got the wood for the rainbow bridge, I could do it this week.
 
Patrick said:
This would probably mean concrete abutments to support it.
Then ramp up from the boardwalk...

An alternate idea was to use the bridge for a base - just cut some of the top off so there is room for debris to pass by.
it seems fairly secure, but it would be subject to flooding forces at that height, and they'd probably want railings -
which would be torn off first storm....

The anal bridge gets rebuilt every so often for the same reasons. just easier to deal with that.
Click to expand...
32b9c155-32a0-4a0f-8b89-d248a449e176_text.gif
 
Bikeworks said:
Stupid, non-engineer, layperson question; would it make sense to put some sort of interspersed arresting feature further upstream? Like some significantly spaced out boulders/rocks like you have on the shore line there? That way the trees hit that and get hung up here and there as opposed to clogging the drain so to speak.
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This is a huge no no in Nj as you are changing the flow of water. You would need DEP approval for that.
 
Patrick said:
Better use of time may be figuring out how to get people safely across South Middlebush Road.
Hard to believe we can't get some flashing lights and a crosswalk.
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Classic - this has festered from cleaning a bridge up to a civic project and wondering why the park/town/county won’t put in a flashing lit crosswalk.

That would require a traffic study and $$$$$. Good luck. My guess is there are several “shovel ready” projects within the county that have already been identified, a traffic study complete and are in much more heavily trafficked areas. This will also be a prevailing wage job as the county usually sub-contracts that out - more $$$$.

The unfortunate truth is that some of the other more dangerous intersections in the county most likely have had fatalities in the last few years and are of a much higher priority- if this is the case with this intersection I apologize.

I applaud the effort - I would love a suspension bridge or some incredible permanent structure - but who is paying for that? I have not seen the books for JORBA but I cannot imagine their cash surplus is going to cover this. Even if it could - that is a pretty big dent. As for a grant - now we are back to approvals and budgeting. Good luck. Does JORBA have a grant writer - is this even a major JORBA concern? Do you have the authority to speak on behalf of them?

These bridges have been there for some time. Just like the foliage that we trim back every year and the drainage nicks we clear out -These bridges will need quarterly clean up - that is why we have volunteers. We also have volunteers because the park does not have the budget to maintain the trails - just like the county/Town/park/State doesn’t have the budget to throw at these bridges. There are much more heavily trafficked areas/projects that’s will take their attention and keep a politician in office. For the park - the trails are there - that is good enough - we just kick it up a notch hence why THEY PERMIT US to work on the trails. They can take that privilege away if we start doing sub-par work that irritates other tax payers that are not on a bike.

Why can’t a simple stone bridge (staking dry rock from the area) be created with material near the bridge, throw a few culverts in and fill the stone voids in with clay soil from the area. Construct this in lifts to keep it firm and tamp in four to six inch lifts. Will this need to get rebuilt/touched up quarterly - yes; but that is why we have volunteers. The material is free and is right on site. JORBA has all of the hand tools. Bring a wheel barrow, shovel and a McClasky and eat a good breakfast/dinner. Repeat as needed.

Is it as glamorous - No. Does it solve the problem at hand - yes.
 
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Spoke with @Patrick the other day about this and it's probably a lost cause trying to build a bridge where there's so many points of water entry. As JohnnyU pointed out we're not going to change the natural flow of water so why fight it? The best option is to reroute and Jason probably has some options but they're likely not simple or it would have been done ages ago.
 
Johnny Utah said:
Classic - this has festered from cleaning a bridge up to a civic project and wondering why the park/town/county won’t put in a flashing lit crosswalk.

That would require a traffic study and $$$$$. Good luck. My guess is there are several “shovel ready” projects within the county that have already been identified, a traffic study complete and are in much more heavily trafficked areas. This will also be a prevailing wage job as the county usually sub-contracts that out - more $$$$.

I applaud the effort - I would love a suspension bridge or some incredible permanent structure - but who is paying for that? I have not seen the books for JORBA but I cannot imagine their cash surplus is going to cover this. Even if it could - that is a pretty big dent. As for a grant - now we are back to approvals and budgeting. Good luck. Does JORBA have a grant writer - is this even a major JORBA concern? Do you have the authority to speak on behalf of them?

These bridges have been there for some time. Just like the foliage that we trim back every year and the drainage nicks we clear out -These bridges will need quarterly clean up - that is why we have volunteers. We also have volunteers because the park does not have the budget to maintain the trails - just like the county/Town/park/State doesn’t have the budget to throw at these bridges. There are much more heavily trafficked areas/projects that’s will take their attention and keep a politician in office. For the park - the trails are there - that is good enough - we just kick it up a notch hence why THEY PERMIT US to work on the trails. They can take that privilege away if we start doing sub-par work that irritates other tax payers that are not on a bike.

Why can’t a simple stone bridge (staking dry rock from the area) be created with material near the bridge, throw a few culverts in and fill the stone voids in with clay soil from the area. Construct this in lifts to keep it firm and tamp in four to six inch lifts. Will this need to get rebuilt/touched up quarterly - yes; but that is why we have volunteers. The material is free and is right on site. JORBA has all of the hand tools. Bring a wheel barrow, shovel and a McClasky and eat a good breakfast/dinner. Repeat as needed.

Is it as glamorous - No. Does it solve the problem at hand - yes.
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I think it's key that we're not trucking in material, if someone gets the approvals, I'll be more than happy to help out.
 
qclabrat said:
I think it's key that we're not trucking in material, if someone gets the approvals, I'll be more than happy to help out.
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I concur - this is a big project. My mouth has been big on this - if we schedule a day/days I would also be willing to help. Further - my employer will provide me serval volunteer days where I can put in a full day during the week and lend a hand (and my back). If we schedule two weeks or so out I can make myself available.

If we get a crew to really make some progress I would be willing to cover lunch for the day.
 
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