Brainerd Lake Project

County: Middlesex

Town: Cranbury

Najarian Associates was retained by Middlesex County to provide civil/environmental engineering, permitting, and surveying services to reconstruct the Brainerd Lake Bridge and Dam in the Borough of Cranbury, Middlesex County, NJ.

Brainerd Lake Dam, located at the Main Street (County Route 535) crossing of Cranbury Brook, is an earth-fill roadway embankment which has been classified as a Class II, significant-hazard small dam. Due to hydraulic “piping” occurring through the dam, the County of Middlesex and the Township of Cranbury, joint owners of the dam, were required to improve the structural integrity to meet current NJDEP Dam Safety Standards. Additionally, their goal was to beautify the dam and roadside areas to complement the historic nature of the Township.

Reconstruction Plan

Najarian developed a three-phase reconstruction plan to:

1. Clear and demolish existing site structures
2. Temporarily divert Cranbury Brook flows
3. Re-construct improved dam/bridge structures

Planned Improvements

The demolition plan included the removal and disposal of existing trees, roadways, curbs, walks, iron rails, concrete walls, and a spillway. Other planned improvements included:

• Installation of steel sheet piling for the entire dam
• Reconstruction/widening of the spillway to a 100’ crest length
• Reconstruction of the dam walls and stone-veneer construction
• Reconstruction of drainage systems
• Construction of articulating concrete block mat on steep slopes
• Reconstruction of roadway down to roadway base
• Construction of granite curbs, slate sidewalk, concrete sidewalks
• Installation of new lighting and landscaping
• Site restoration

Major Permits Obtained

In addition to the numerous NJDEP permits required for the project, a NJ Division of Fish Game and Wildlife Lake Lowering permit was obtained to facilitate construction of the spillway. Additional major permits obtained included:

• Construction Permits
• Construction Dewatering Permits
• Dam Safety Permit-NJDEP
• Flood Hazard Area Permits-NJDEP
• Freshwater Wetland Permits-NJDEP
• Local/County Approvals
• NJDCA/Local Construction Permits
• Soil Erosion & Sediment Control

Watch the Aerial Video below