By AUBRIE GEORGE | The Moorestown Sun
A handful of public works projects — including road and bridge improvements — are getting underway soon.
Moorestown’s historic Centerton Bridge, which dates back to 1903, is scheduled to close on Thursday, Oct. 1 for a routine inspection.
The bridge is closed four times annually in order to be inspected and receive routine maintenance, township officials said.
The center swing-span bridge is manually operated and is listed in the National Register of Historic places. It was built in 1903 by NJ Bridge Co. of Manasquan.
Centerton Bridge takes traffic over the Rancocas Creek North Branch, which connects Willingboro and Westampton to Mount Laurel.
During the one-day closure, traffic that normally accesses the bridge along Centerton Road will be detoured to Creek Road, Interstate 295 and Beverly-Rancocas Road.
Centerton Road will remain open to local traffic only on both sides of the bridge.
The bridge is scheduled to close at 9 a.m. and will reopen at noon.
Meanwhile, roadwork on Church Street will continue over the next several weeks in order to complete drainage improvements and resurface the road.
Trap Rock Industries of Kingston is the contractor carrying out the project to complete drainage improvements along a 1.7-mile portion of the road between New Albany Road and Route 38.
Once the drainage improvements are complete, work will then begin to resurface the road, which includes milling and repaving it, county officials said.
Total construction time of the project, which began the third week of September, is slated for five weeks. No detours are scheduled throughout the duration of the project, however residents and commuters are being encouraged to utilize alternate driving routes during construction.
The work being done on Church Street is part of Burlington County’s 2009 state-funded overlay program.
In total, the program plans to spend $4.37 million to resurface 18.8 miles of county roads in 13 municipalities across the county, county officials said.
Residents should also be aware that the department of public works’ fall hydrant-flushing program will occur from Oct. 1–31.
Township officials do not expect water service to be interrupted during flushing, however at some points residents may experience a drop in pressure or volume for a short period of time, township officials said.
If residents noticed discolored water, township officials recommend giving it a few hours to clear up and then running cold water until the water has completely cleared.
Township officials said it is important to never run hot water during this process because discolored water will enter the hot water heater and cause the need to run water longer.
Residents should also avoid doing laundry until any discolored water has cleared, officials said. The public works department carries out a comprehensive hydrant-flushing program every year in the spring and fall in order to ensure water quality is maintained at its optimal level and to properly maintain the township’s water distribution lines and hydrants. Use of the flushing technique is critical to the maintenance of water quality and the water system.
During flushing, water moves through pipes at a high speed in order to create a scouring action. The water is discharged through a fire hydrant, which removes any material buildup from the pipe.
Officials said the material removed during this process is harmless and requires no special treatment.
Information about road closures and projects that may affect residents or traffic within the township is updated on the township’s Web site, www.moorestown.nj.us.
