West Windsor bridge closure stretches to 4 months as officials call for urgent action
Mayor Hemant Marathe said meetings with Amtrak have not produced a clear plan to repair or replace the bridge. Business owners say the closure has devastated local commerce.
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A key bridge on Clarksville Road has been closed for more than three months, and local officials are calling for immediate action as delays continue to affect commuters, businesses and public safety.
The bridge, which crosses the Amtrak Northeast Corridor and NJ Transit tracks between Trenton and Princeton Junction, was shut down Nov. 2 after the New Jersey Department of Transportation found severe corrosion in the steel beams.
Mayor Hemant Marathe said meetings with Amtrak have not produced a clear plan to repair or replace the bridge. Business owners say the closure has devastated local commerce. “It’s a permanent loss of sales, a permanent loss of customers and day by day, it just gets worse,” one business owner said.
Council members warn the closure also poses public safety risks, with police, fire and emergency medical vehicles forced to take longer detours that could add critical minutes during emergencies.
NJDOT said it received approval from Amtrak to begin inspections this week, noting the process could take several weeks due to limited windows to de-energize rail lines, set up equipment, inspect the bridge and demobilize.
Amtrak said in a statement it is “working cooperatively with all stakeholders to expedite this NJDOT-led project. The safety and reliability of the Northeast Corridor is our highest priority, and we are working diligently with all stakeholders to get the necessary inspection finished as soon as possible.”
Local leaders say they are urging Amtrak to take swift action before the situation worsens.
