Raritan River Bridge
The Raritan River Bridge is a rail bridge over the Raritan River, in New Brunswick and Highland Park in Middlesex County, New Jersey, U.S. The arch bridge carries the Northeast Corridor (NEC) at MP 30.92. It used by Amtrak, including Northeast Regional service, and New Jersey Transit's Northeast Corridor Line. It also crosses over New Jersey Route 18.
NEC Raritan River Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°30′04″N 74°26′28″W |
| Carries | Northeast Corridor |
| Crosses | Raritan River |
| Locale | New Brunswick and Highland Park, Middlesex County, New Jersey |
| Owner | New Jersey Transit |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Closed-spandrel arch |
| Material | Stone, concrete |
| Total length | 1,428 feet (435 m) |
| No. of spans | 21 |
| History | |
| Construction end | 1903 |
| Location | |
The bridge was constructed in 1903 by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR). It consists of 21 spans of stone arches, the clear spans varying from 51 feet to 72 feet each and has a total length of 1,428 feet (435 m). The line was electrified by 1933 and between 1948-1950 the bridge was encased in concrete.
The bridge was documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in 1977. It is contributing property of the unlisted Pennsylvania Railroad New York to Philadelphia Historic District (ID#4568), designated in 2002 by the New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office.