A view of the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge in Rumson on Jan. 4 ERIC SUCAR RUMSON — The Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge (S-32) is scheduled to undergo $700,000 in temporary repairs and safety upgrades at the end of the month to keep the span open and operational until it is replaced, according to Monmouth County officials.
According to Laura Kirkpatrick, director of public information for the county, the drawbridge — which links Rumson Road to Ocean Avenue — was originally scheduled for safety upgrades, but further repairs are needed due to damage caused by superstorm Sandy.
“They tried to bundle it all up in one package so the bridge was only closed at one time, rather than repair Sandy damage and then close it three weeks later,” Kirkpatrick said, emphasizing that this is not the replacement project currently being developed by the county.
“This work we are going to do at the end of the month has to be done to keep the bridge in good operating condition until we can replace the bridge.”
To perform these upgrades, the county will close the bridge’s roadway so the contractor, IEW Construction Group, can replace traffic warning gates, rehabilitate barrier gates, and replace the windows and doors in the control house as well as various mechanisms on the moveable section of the bridge.
Other incidental work will include traffic control and lighting, she said.
“Some of the barrier gates and the safety mechanisms in place are old and outdated. The mechanisms aren’t a problem, getting the equipment to keep them operating is a problem because they don’t make those parts anymore,” Kirkpatrick said.
“There are things that had to be done and we are doing it in the colder weather so it’s less of an impact on drivers.”
This work is being performed under a $2.7- million contract that is providing safety system upgrades at each of the four movable bridges owned and operated by Monmouth County.
The Glimmer Glass Bridge (W-9) along Brielle Road between Brielle and Manasquan, and the Shark River Bridge along Ocean Avenue between Avon and Belmar have already had their traffic and barrier gates replaced as part of this project, she said.
On Jan. 7, work began on the Oceanic Bridge that connects Rumson and Middletown, and the span will remain closed to vehicles and pedestrian traffic during the estimated three-week work period that is expected to conclude on Jan. 28.
Work on the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge will not start until the Oceanic Bridge is complete, Kirkpatrick said.
“It’s a moving date at this point. Because our completion date is on or about the 28th, we are anticipating we are going to start work after the 28th,” she said.
“Since the contractor that is doing the Oceanic Bridge is doing the Sea Bright Bridge, our hope is that the contractor is going to demobilize the Oceanic and set up at the Rumson Sea Bright. We won’t be closing both bridges at the same time.”
Along with the repairs, Kirkpatrick said that the county would hold public information meetings on Jan. 23 about the eventual replacement of the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge.
The events will be conducted in an openhouse forum where display boards will provide specific information about the bridge replacement design, lighting, traffic and other improvements at the eastern terminus of Rumson Road (Route 520).
On Feb. 15, local, county and state stakeholders gathered at Rumson Borough Hall to discuss a concept development plan to determine the bridge’s future.
Monmouth County officials teamed with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) and the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to conduct a study on whether to undertake a major rehabilitation or replacement of the existing bridge, which would be funded with federal dollars.
During that meeting, Jon Moren, principal county engineer for the project, explained that the 62-year-old bridge has some deterioration and is listed as in overall serious condition.
In 2008, a scope study was conducted by the county and resulted in five different bridge alternatives, including rehabilitation.
Alternatives one and two called for bridge replacement or rehabilitation on existing alignment. Alternative three called for retaining the drawbridge but moving the span slightly south of the existing bridge. Alternative four was a high-level fixedbridge replacement north of the existing span, and alternative five was a bridge replacement on the original 1920s bridge location, south of the existing bridge.
The two public forums will include an afternoon session from 2 to 4 p.m. in the public meeting room of the Sea Bright Municipal Building at 1167 Ocean Ave. in Sea Bright, and 6 to 8 p.m. in the Media Room of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School at 74 Ridge Road in Rumson.