Urban Engineers is pleased to announce that the Replacement of the Catawba Bridge over Miry Run won an Honor Award in the small projects category at the American Council of Engineering Companies of New Jersey’s (ACEC/NJ) 41st Annual Engineering Excellence Awards Banquet. The bridge is located in Egg Harbor and Hamilton Townships and maintained by Atlantic County.

“We would like to congratulate Atlantic County on the successful completion of this project and on this recognition from ACEC/NJ,” said Michael McAtee, PE, an Urban vice president and office manager for the firm’s Cherry Hill location. “This award is also evidence of the success and technical expertise of our firm’s multidiscipline practices, and that our staff is worthy of recognition.”

The 100-year old Catawba Bridge (Atlantic County Bridge EH-17), which carries the County Route 559 over Miry Run, had been deemed structurally deficient and functionally obsolete. The Atlantic County Division of Engineering teamed with Urban Engineers to develop a replacement for the bridge, while minimizing impacts to the surrounding commercial and recreational industries that utilize the roadway during peak summer months. In order to minimize impacts to seasonal traffic, the construction operations were coordinated to be performed during the off-peak months. After the roadway was closed following Labor Day, an aggressive and carefully coordinated construction schedule was implemented to ensure that the project was completed and opened to traffic prior to the following Memorial Day.

The team utilized a porous, light-weight expanded shale aggregate that permitted the raising of the roadway without increasing the surcharge loads, thus reducing the potential settlement of the elevated approach roadways. The project also featured the use of precast concrete components, which enabled the contractor to meet an aggressive construction schedule that minimized disruptions for the local residents and business owners.

"We would also like to extend congratulations to Arora and Associates, P.C., who were recognized for their work on the Stone Arch Bridge over Stony Brook in Princeton," Mr. McAtee added. "We were proud to collaborate on that project with them and are excited to see them be honored for their great work."

Urban, CH2M, and clients South Jersey Port Authority and the Gloucester County Improvement Authority were also recognized by ACEC/NJ at the banquet with a Distinguished Award for their work on the Paulsboro Marine Terminal Design and Construction.