Ocean Gate Receives State DOT Grant

Years of flooding woes on a street in Ocean Gate may soon be a thing of the past, now that a new construction project is moving full speed ahead.

The State Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded the Borough $300,000.  The money will go towards a drainage and road project on Monmouth Avenue.  Mayor Paul Kennedy says they've had their share of trouble on the street when it rains, especially during Hurricane Irene last year.

Kennedy says "it was impassible.  Although it's not a major road, it does connect to other areas that lead to Route 9.  We need some change soon.  We constantly deal with this issue.  Thankfully, the DOT has awarded us this grant."

Kennedy explains in the past, similar projects throughout the small community have cut down on the number of flooding problems.  The project was originally turned down by the DOT for several reasons.  Most of those were because of other projects on the list for other towns that took more urgent action.

Kennedy adds "thank you to the 9th District Legislative Team of Senator Chris Connors and Assembly members Brian Rumpf and Diane Giove for spearheading this and helping to change the DOT's mind."

Work is expected to begin sometime at the end of October or early November.  They are in the design stage right now and will go out to bid on the project in the next few weeks.

They hope to have it completed by next Spring.