Westmont Bridge to open next month

WESTMONT After more than a year of construction, the Westmont Bridge project's completion may finally see the light of day in January.

Engineers this week are pouring concrete for the deck, and if the weather holds up, the 41-foot span could reopen soon, said Camden County spokesman Dan Keashen.

"We're hoping at the very latest it will open in the next two weeks," Keashen said Thursday. "It is going to be very soon."

Camden County built the bridge in 1923 to carry traffic from West Park Boulevard over Newton Creek. But wear and weather took their toll on the two-lane bridge.

Repair work began in September 2012 and the bridge was closed to vehicles and pedestrians. But the project suffered setbacks and the cost jumped from $274,000 to $329,000.

At one point, the project came to a halt after engineers determined that concrete reinforcements did not meet federal standards. A remedy was devised and the contractor picked up the cost overruns, Keashen said.

"Obviously, we're happy to have this project done," Keashen said. "It certainly wasn't ideal that it took so long to get done."

- Melanie Burney