Built in 1970, this four-span bridge carries I-95 over Berry’s Creek Canal with three lanes of eastbound and westbound traffic. The 132-foot-long, 132-foot-wide structure features monolithic concrete slab spans and a substructure of H-pile bents encased in concrete, supported by reinforced concrete abutments at each end.

The Problem

Despite multiple rounds of rehabilitation, the substructure piles of the NJ Turnpike bridge over Berry’s Creek Canal have continued to deteriorate. Originally encased in concrete, the H-piles were later reinforced with an additional steel cage and enclosed in corrugated metal pipe (CMP) as a stay-in-place form during a subsequent repair effort. However, the bridge’s location over brackish water—a corrosive mix of salt and fresh water—has contributed to ongoing deterioration.

Over time, chloride-laden moisture infiltrated the concrete encasement and reached the embedded steel, leading to significant corrosion of the H-piles, reinforcing cage, and CMP. This corrosion triggered spalling and delamination throughout the piles, raising concerns about the long-term durability and structural integrity of the bridge’s foundation.

The Result

The cathodic protection system provided targeted, long-term corrosion mitigation for the bridge piles, restoring structural integrity and preventing future deterioration. Designed for a 20-year service life extension, the solution ensures durability in a harsh brackish water environment while allowing for ongoing performance monitoring.