The concrete that forms a stretch of road, now part of Route 57 in Warren County, New Jersey (N.J.), has lasted over 100 years. Known as “The Concrete Mile” built in 1912—the first such highway in New Jersey—was considered a major innovation. A roadside marker in the New Village section of Franklin Township credits the builder as Thomas Edison’s Portland Cement Company. A $1.2 million project is underway to repair the aging road, and workers are trying to preserve as much of the old concrete as possible.
Thomas Edison founded the cement company in 1899. Local historians have said the road, albeit far less known than many of Edison’s inventions, proved to be a milestone of the era; other materials used to build the roads of the early 20th century held up poorly.
The Concrete Mile has arguably held up quite well, but in recent years the stretch has started showing signs of aging. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) said the damage is beyond just an aesthetic problem … it has become a safety hazard and restorations are needed. Last month, NJDOT started the makeover. Kevin Israel, NJDOT spokesman said the road is still open to traffic and the work is intermittent. “The concrete was in very poor condition, exhibiting broken slabs and serious cracks,” he said. “NJDOT has been mindful of the road’s historic significance while doing the work.”
“In repairing this historic road, NJDOT sought to maintain as much of the original concrete as possible while improving the safety of the roadway,” Israel said. He added that wherever possible, a synthetic resin compound has been used to fill cracks. Some of the cracks were so severe that sections of the original concrete had to be removed and replaced with precast concrete slabs. Diamond grinding is being performed on the new slabs to ensure they match the level of the original concrete. The project is expected to be complete sometime in Fall, 2015.
OTHER CONCRETE PAVEMENT FIRSTS:
• World: Inverness, Scotland—1865. Concrete Construction Magazine, April 2014
• United States—1891: Court Avenue, downtown Bellefontaine, Ohio. Concrete Construction Magazine, April 2014
• First USA MILE of concrete highway—1909, Detroit, Michigan. Michigan in Pictures, April 2012
For photos and the article from Leigh High Valley Live, September 14, 2015 article, please click here.
For an earlier, ‘100th Anniversary’ article from Leigh High Valley Live, June 1, 2012, please click here.
For the ISCP article “2015 Marks 150th Anniversary of the World’s First Concrete Pavement”, please click here.