New York Construction Report staff writer
New Jersey has awarded a $47.7 million contract to Agate Construction Company Inc. and the A. Servidone Inc./B. Anthony Construction Corp. joint venture for the state’s first Design-Build transportation project, a replacement of the Route 50 bridge over Cedar Swamp Creek in Upper Township, Cape May County.
Construction is scheduled to begin in fall 2026 and be completed by the end of 2028.
The award was announced by Gov. Mikie Sherrill and New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Commissioner Priya Jain, who said the project marks a shift in how the state delivers major infrastructure work.
“When I took office, I made clear that we were going to do things differently and deliver for the people of New Jersey,” Sherrill said. “That means taking more efficient, innovative approaches to modernizing our aging infrastructure.”
The Design-Build approach will streamline delivery by combining design and construction under a single contract, reducing delays and lowering costs while accelerating completion of long-overdue upgrades.
“The Route 50 Bridge project reflects that, by replacing this critical connection to Cape May County and key coastal evacuation route through New Jersey’s first-ever Design-Build approach,” Sherrill said.
Under the Design-Build model, a single contract is used for both design and construction, allowing work to proceed in overlapping phases. Officials said the approach is expected to reduce change orders once construction begins and support faster project delivery.
The 65-year-old Route 50 bridge over Cedar Swamp Creek is designated as a coastal evacuation route and serves as a key link for residents and visitors travelling to and from Cape May County, particularly during the summer and shoulder seasons.
“The scale and urgency of New Jersey’s infrastructure needs require us at the NJDOT to think differently,” Jain said. “With Governor Sherrill’s support we are advancing the department’s first-ever Design Build project to improve coordination, control costs and ultimately save time and money.”
The replacement project will include a new structure with a future-use sidewalk and 10-foot shoulders, along with roadway, drainage and environmental improvements. Work is expected to be staged to minimize traffic and community disruptions.
For more information, all documents related to the procurement process for this project will be posted on the Alternative Project Delivery page on the NJDOT Procurement page.
NJDOT is also advancing two additional Design-Build projects: the Route 9W bridge over I-95 and Routes 1&9, 46 and 4 (Fletcher Avenue) in Fort Lee, Bergen County, and the I-295 project from Sloan Avenue (CR 649) to CR 583 (Princeton Pike) in Lawrence and Hamilton, Mercer County.
