HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. — People in Monroe County are more than happy to watch concrete dry because it means soon enough, they'll be able to drive over one of the most historic bridges there.
Work started a month ago to repair and preserve the Stone Arch Bridge on Foundry Street in Hamilton Township.
"It was in need. It's historic, and you don't want to let something like this just waste away," said John Christy, a Monroe County Commissioner.
The bridge was built in 1909, making it more than 100 years old.
Christy says the county partnered with PennDOT to rebuild the bridge.
It's one of the 21 bridges the county owns.
Over the years, small repairs were made, but Christy says ultimately, the sides of the bridge were failing and needed to be fixed.
Now crews are using flowable concrete, which will help keep the bridge solid.
"It's special in that it comes from the rock from North Carolina, and it's a volcanic rock," Christy said. "That is extremely lightweight but is extremely strong."
Foundry Street has been closed for a little over a month now while crews work to repair the bridge and preserve its history.
"We took the original stone and took it and cut it," Christy said. "Okay, so that will be all faced along the side, and so it will look like it was built in 1909, but it will last another hundred- hundred and fifty years."
Christy says while bridges like this weren't built back then for how we use them now, it's important to preserve them for years to come.
Work is expected to be completed over the next month and a half.
Foundry St. will remain closed while work continues.
A detour is in place.
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