Last Historic Covered Bridge In New Jersey
Historic Character Will Be Maintained
Hunterdon County’s famous and historic Green Sergeant’s Covered Bridge on Rosemont-Ringoes Road in Rosemont, the last historic covered bridge in New Jersey, is scheduled for maintenance and repair under a contract approved by the County’s Board of Commissioners at the June 15th Board meeting.
The $698,267 contract was awarded to the low bidder, Hahr Construction, with $450,000 of the funds covered by a state bridge grant obtained by the County’s Engineering Department.
Commissioner Zach Rich, the Board’s liaison for the Engineering and Public Works Department, stated, “The Green Sergeant’s Covered Bridge is an iconic and unique landmark in our County that requires special attention in its rehabilitation. The construction will not begin until summer 2023 because of the historic component, as the Contractor has to allow the timber to dry for a minimum of a year and a half before it can be installed.”
The construction specifications include a requirement that all White Oak timber deck planks, curbs and curb blocking shall be shed air dried for a minimum of 1.5 years (18 months) or until the final moisture content has been reached (whichever duration is longer) prior to final dressing, grading and installation.
Additionally, the County is requiring that subject to availability, access, quality and engineer’s approval, locally salvaged historic lumber may be used for the replacement Siding and Batten Boards and that for finished mortar the new pointing should match the historic finish and tooling. The finish should match the stone face and channel water out of the wall.
Commissioner Rich noted the bridge’s history, “Green Sergeant’s was commissioned to be built in 1872 by the Hunterdon County Board of Freeholders and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Today, it is the last historic covered bridge in the state.
The repairs will maintain the bridge’s historic character and it will continue to be a single lane, but the improvements will ensure the safety of users and that the bridge will continue to be a Hunterdon County landmarks for years to come.”