George Street Bridge Awarded Prestigious Figg Medal
June 25, 2010
 (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) Gannett Fleming’s George Street Bridge over Route 18 and Boyd Park has been awarded the Eugene C. Figg, Jr., Medal for Signature Bridges at the 27th Annual International Bridge Conference in Pittsburgh, Pa. The Figg Medal is an international award given annually to a single recent outstanding achievement in bridge engineering that, “through vision and innovation, provides an icon to the community for which it was designed.” The George Street Bridge is only the forth structure in the U.S. to be honored with this award.
The George Street Bridge was one of several bridges constructed as part of the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s (NJDOT’s) $215 million reconstruction of Route 18 in the city of New Brunswick, N.J. The multi-interchange project improved safety and operations for regional travel and provided much needed multi-modal service improvements and local access to downtown New Brunswick, Rutgers University, the Raritan River waterfront, Boyd Park, and various neighborhoods adjacent to the corridor.
From the onset of the Final Scope Development phase, a Context Sensitive Design (CSD) approach was initiated to define a collaborative design solution that met transportation needs, environmental obligations, and community values. Through a Steering Committee comprised of representatives from NJDOT, Gannett Fleming, and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), a community involvement action plan was developed that centered on the formation of a Community Partnering Team (CPT). This CPT was a unique mechanism that obtained broad-based public participation and provided information to stakeholders and community representatives.
Concepts developed through the CPT led to the design and construction of the George Street Bridge. A unique structure, the bridge’s construction broke new ground in the use of precast concrete. It is the first bridge in the world to combine precast concrete arches with a lightweight cellular concrete overfill. Although a unique application, the use of long-span precast concrete arches with a lightweight cellular concrete overfill represents an engineering innovation that proved economical and exceeded the client’s and community’s expectations. The resulting bridge truly complements the historical charm of the city of New Brunswick.
For more information, please contact Paul D. Nowicki, P.E. at (908) 755-0040 or via e-mail.
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