Infrastructure in Monmouth County will be getting an extra set of eyes and a financial boost from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority.

There is $31-million in federal funding from the NJTPA heading to Monmouth County government to replace the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge and $800,000 in federal funding for a study on the Laurel Avenue Bridge which has become a landing spot for several 18-wheelers.

“I am happy to report the NJTPA Board approval of the additional funding necessary for our much needed replacement of the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge. We are finalizing our contract documents to replace a current movable bridge with a new movable bridge structure relocated to the south and anticipate being ready for construction by the end of this year,” Monmouth County Freeholder Director Tom Arnone, liaison to the Monmouth County Department of Public Works and Engineering who represents the County on the NJTPA Board of Trustees, said. “With NJTPA programming the additional $31 million, this bridge replacement project will be fully federally funded in the amount of $104 million.”

Arnone said that the projects are among four throughout the region that the NJTPA Board of Trustees approved.

  • Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge (S 32) carries CR 520, Rumson Road, across the Shrewsbury River between the Boroughs of Rumson and Sea Bright. This bridge serves as one of two evacuation and emergency routes in times of tidal flooding and coastal storms. The existing aging structure is at the end of its service life and requires complete replacement. Monmouth County is proposing a movable structure to replace the current structure, $31,000,000.
  • Laurel Avenue (CR 52) serves residents of Holmdel and Middletown townships as a major connection between the Garden State Parkway and State Route 35, where there is significant commercial activity. There is a pinch point at the grade-separated intersection of South Laurel Avenue and the NJ TRANSIT North Jersey Coast Line between Commons Way and Continental Boulevard in the study area. There are also vertical clearance issues with the railroad bridge. The study will identify the project purpose and need as well as assess various alternatives in an effort to identify a preliminary preferred alternative through coordination with various stakeholders and the public, $800,000.

“This NJ Transit bridge on Laurel Avenue has a low vertical clearance (12’-5”) and routinely gets hit by trucks traveling along County Route 52 (Laurel Avenue). Subsequently, the bridge is in a substandard condition," Arnone said. “The purpose of this study is to develop and assess various alternatives for this grade separated railroad crossing and we will be working closely with NJ Transit and NJDOT for potential improvements.”

At one point in the last couple years Holmdel Police even issued their own Public Service Announcement on the trucks continually avoiding the signs that are clear as day.

"There's multiple signs in both directions prior to the NJ Transit bridge advising of the 12 ft. 5 in. height restrictions, trust us on this one!"

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