For Immediate
Release:
June 19, 2024
County Commissioner Director provides
update on Glimmer Glass Bridge closure and detour
MANASQUAN,
NJ – Monmouth County Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone, on behalf of the
Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners, issued the following statement
regarding the Glimmer Glass Bridge.
During a scheduled routine
inspection of the Glimmer Glass Bridge, necessary repair work was discovered on
Thursday, June 13. On Friday, June 14th, the bridge was closed to
complete a more detailed inspection and perform the needed repairs to the steel
stringers that support the deck of the moveable span on the Bridge.
Repair work is ongoing and expected to be completed prior to the July 4th
holiday. The cost of the repairs will be
approximately $100,000.
The repair work requires the
closure of the Bridge to vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic. A signed
detour has been established. In order for the repair work to be completed by
the July 4th weekend, it is necessary to close the navigation
channel on Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. The navigation channel will be
open to boaters 24 hours on the weekends and 4 p.m. to 7 a.m. on week days.
Despite continuous maintenance by
the County, the age and condition of the structure has reached the point where
the Bridge has become unreliable. In order to ensure the continuous safe
operation of this structure for vehicular, pedestrian, and marine traffic, it
is time to replace the bridge in its entirety. To replace the Bridge will cost
around $30 million which includes 2-3 years of design work because the State
Historical Preservation Office will need to review the application. The County
appreciates the historic nature of the structure and has continuously offered
to work with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP)
State Historic Preservation Office to implement historic mitigation measures.
We recognize the frequent maintenance of the structure creates
significant inconvenience to the residents and visitors of the Manasquan area,
however, the safety of our residents and visitors must remain our top priority.
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