Boros weigh options for future of span
Sea Bright opts for repair of existing draw bridge
BY SHARON LEFF Staff Writer

Sea Bright Mayor Maria Fernandes is encouraging residents to make their opinions known about options for repairing or replacing the aging and deteriorating bridge that connects the borough to Rumson.

At the mayor's request, the Monmouth County Division of Engineering provided a presentation to the borough, detailing five options for replacing the Route 520 bridge. The presentation was shown before the start Dec. 18 Smart Growth meeting.

Fernandes said that a few years ago representatives from the county made a presentation to the council, detailing possible options for the bridge, but the borough never made an official recommendation as to which option was deemed most appropriate.

The presentation shown at the Smart Growth meeting indicated both governing bodies had given the county a decision of support, but both Fernandes and Rumson Mayor John Ekdahl said no such endorsement was ever made.

"We're waiting to get some input from our residents who were at the [Smart Growth] meeting. Then we're going to send a letter to the county," Fernandes said in an interview last week.

Ekdahl said Rumson officials also were given a presentation in the past, but they have received no word about the next step of the project.

"We had a presentation, I want to say a year and a half ago, and they showed us three possible routes across the river. They didn't tell us which one they favored, just said the three options they were offering," he said in an interview last week.

The drawbridge, which spans the Shrewsbury River, is about 60 years old. It is 661 feet long and serves as one of the borough's evacuation and emergency routes.

The cost of the bridge upgrade project will not be determined until an option on how to proceed is decided on.

Ekdahl said the Route 520 bridge is one of three bridges that are in need of, or in the process of, renovation.

After work on the Highlands Bridge is completed, the next project to be addressed will be the Oceanic Bridge, which connects Rumson and Middletown, and after that the county will address the Route 520 bridge.

In October 2006, Monmouth County Engineer Joseph Ettore held an information session on the proposed bridge replacement at the Sea Bright Community Center.

At that meeting, a majority of attendees were in favor of a new moveable bridge to be built on the existing span's alignment.

Other alternatives presented at that 2006 meeting included retaining the drawbridge, but moving the span slightly south of the existing bridge; rehabilitating the existing bridge; or constructing a much higher fixed bridge slightly north of the current one, with much longer approaches in both Sea Bright and Rumson.

Ekdahl said depending on which alternative is chosen, Rumson's park could be affected.

Fernandes said Sea Bright doesn't want a new bridge constructed.

"We would prefer that the bridge be fixed and not replaced at all. That would be the preference," she said.

One option presented would affect the sites of local businesses in the area including the Dunkin' Donuts and the gas station on Ocean Avenue.

Dominic Sequeira, owner of the Dunkin' Donuts at 1002 Ocean Ave., said the county has never directly contacted him regarding the plans.

"We obviously have concerns of bridge alignment that would impact our store, parking lot and the sales at the location," he said.

Sequeira said he plans to send a letter to the borough and the county regarding the issue.

Fernandes said she wanted to bring the bridge discussion to people's attention at the Smart Growth meeting because it's in the early stages when input to the county can still be taken into consideration.

"It's in the very, very early stages so that's why I figured let's try to make some contacts here and see if anything has been done before it's gone too far ahead," she said.

Assistant Monmouth County Engineer Peter Imperiale said the bridge is currently in the scoping process.

"The scoping process will evaluate the alternatives that were presented," he said.

Imperiale said after an alternative is selected, it goes on for review by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and then the selected plan will move into the final design phase.

He said in the interim the bridge is routinely inspected and maintenance is done.

Imperiale said further along in the process there will be a public hearing to discuss the future of the bridge.