By Catherine Wilde
Staff Writer | Aug. 6 2008

Closter — The bridge that would span Tenakill brook should be completed by the Aug. 15 deadline, Borough Engineer Nick DeNicola said yesterday.

The engineer’s comments come following a meeting with the bridge contractor Aug. 4 and the local environmental commission, which erased fears that the bridge would not be completed mid-August.

There had been concern the past weeks that the project would be delayed due to the contractors not completing certain phases according to the expected timeframe.

"After we [told the contractor about] the damages that would be assessed against him for every day late, he [informed] the subcontractor," DeNicola said.

Monday’s discussion was an informal site meeting to review the "prosecution of progress," said DeNicola. The "methods and means" of installing the bridge including what equipment to use and what path to take, were discussed.

The contractor, D.R. Mullen Construction, will receive the completed bridge from its subcontractor, Echo Bridge in time to have it installed on or about Aug. 14, DeNicola projected. However, Ray Mullen of D.R. Mullen said the bridge may be completed a day earlier.

"We already have some work done it’s just a matter of setting the bridge in place," he said. So far the helical piles have been screwed into the ground and next the concrete abutments will be poured on top of them, as foundation for the bridge.

"So far everything is going smoothly and we don’t foresee any problems," DeNicola said.

Ray Mullen, of D.R. Mullen, said, "As far as I know it should be completed by the 13th."

E-mail: wilde@northjersey.com or call 201-894-6706