NJDOT Route 70 Bridge Collapse

When more than 13 inches of rain fell on Burlington County, N.J. in one 24-hour period, the impacts were devastating, especially to the Route 70 Bridge over Friendship Creek. The ensuing flood waters washed away all elements of the bridge leaving a 80-foot gap in the roadbed of this critical east-west corridor. The New Jersey Department of Transportation called upon IEW Construction Group, the emergency bridge contractor for the state to solve the problem. In just 4 days, a temporary steel bridge was in place and the road was opened to traffic. In less than 8 months, IEW constructed a new permanent state of the art bridge without any significant disruption to traffic. This project inspired then NJDOT Commissioner Jack Lettiere to launch his HyperBuild Program which was subsequently adopted by states across the nation.