Vosseller Avenue Is Expected To Reopen Next Week In Bridgewater

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Good news for drivers in and around Bridgewater. Vosseller Avenue will be reopening sometime next week after Hurricane Ida wreaked havoc on one of the township's main arteries.

The township will be repaving a 400-foot section of the roadway that was damaged by the large machinery and trucks during repair work early next week.

"That is the last step that needs to happen before the road can be reopened," said Bridgewater Spokesman Wells Winegar.

Once paving is completed, the roadway will be open. It is estimated to open by mid-week.

"We are happy that this extensive repair was completed relatively quickly — but more importantly, responsibly and correctly. We will never compromise on the safety of our residents," according to the township.

Vosseller Avenue, which connects Route 22 to Washington Valley Road, was the hardest hit roadway in the township from the storm.

"It's not as visually shocking as the Chimney Rock Road project but when inspectors went out... the entire wall that supports the road was gone," said Mayor Matthew Moench during a previous council meeting.

Floodwaters completely destroyed one of the retaining walls, built in 2011, closest to Hillcrest Road and the other two sustained significant damage and erosion.

As a result, an $800,000 emergency appropriation and the emergency contract was awarded on Sept. 9 to Vollers Excavating & Construction to repair the retaining wall on Voseller Avenue.

The contractor began work imminently to resolve this unsafe condition and get that section of Vosseller Avenue open as soon as possible.

The township worked with engineers and professionals to not only replace the retaining walls but improve them.

"We are not just replacing them but connecting them so it doesn't fail in the future," said Bridgewater Spokesman Wells Winegar.

Work was initially expected to take two weeks but the conditions of the landscape have made it more difficult to complete. Drilling work for the new retaining wall was slow-moving due to the rocky terrain.

Moench previously said the township was hoping to complete the project and reopen the roadway by mid to late October.

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