By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
COLTS NECK – Delays in the acquisition of right of way have pushed back planned improvements at a location that a county official called the most congested intersection in Monmouth County – six years ago.
Plans for improvements at the intersection of Route 34 and Route 537 in Colts Neck have been discussed for almost 20 years.
On Nov. 10, the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders passed a resolution authorizing the board’s director to execute an agreement modification to a federal aid agreement with the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to extend the completion date to Jan. 31, 2018 for the acquisition of right of way necessary for the construction of the improvements.
The delay means thousands of motorists who travel through the intersection on a daily basis will have to wait longer for additional through lanes and turning lanes to be constructed. The project has an estimated cost of $20.3 million, with the state expected to fund most of the bill and the county expected to fund the balance.
Route 34 is a state highway and Route 537 is a county highway.
Freeholder Director Tom Arnone, the freeholder in charge of public works and engineering, did not return messages seeking comment about the cause of the ongoing delays in the project.
According to a description of the project posted on the county website, “The intersection of Route 34 and Route 537 services regional and local traffic and is a major access route to state Route 18 which is located south of the intersection. Motorists traveling through this intersection experience delays, especially along Route 537 approaches during peak periods. This project is being undertaken in response to the operational concerns at the intersection and the poor condition of (two bridges) which carry Route 34 and Route 537 over the Mine Brook.”
Proof of the delay in getting work underway at the intersection can be found in a press release Monmouth County officials issued on Dec. 17, 2010, which indicated the Board of Freeholders had issued a request for proposals to solicit engineering services to prepare final design plans for the project. The press release indicated construction would begin in 2013.
Freeholder Lillian Burry, who still serves on the board, was quoted in the 2010 press release stating, “I am happy to say that one day soon this will no longer be the most congested intersection in Monmouth County. It has taken more than 10 years to get to this point and I am very excited about getting this project started.”
The 2010 press release said county officials had been asking the DOT to schedule the improvements since an Access Management Plan for Route 34 was adopted in 1999. The plan provided for improvements to accommodate future development along the Route 34 and Route 537 corridors.
County Engineer Joseph Ettore said at the time that at peak hours the backup of vehicles on Route 537 could be as long as 1,500 feet (more than a quarter of a mile).