Stakeholders Learn Bridge Plan

VILLAS – State and local government are getting serious about a plan for significant bridge improvements and roadway upgrades along Ocean Drive between exit zero (Route 109) in Lower Township, and Madison Avenue in Wildwood Crest. 
At a special “Community Stakeholders” meeting at the Millman Senior Center in Villas, County Engineer Dale Foster and several transportation experts from Michael Baker International and WSP-USA presented their opening request for ideas and information from about 25 stakeholders who have much to gain or lose from the project.
The consulting engineers described a concept that will span three bridges and 2.75 miles of roadway. It will be a project that will either restore those bridges or replace them depending on costs and preliminary alternative solutions that have yet to be identified.
Joseph Romano of Michael Baker International and Miguel Santiago of WSP described the current state of the three bridges (built in 1939) and that section of Ocean Drive.
According to the engineers, the Mill Creek Bridge has deteriorating railings, exposed reinforcement bars, and is rated to be in “fair condition.”
Upper Thorofare Bridge is rated as being in the same general condition as the Mill Creek Bridge. Santiago noted that this bridge suffers from a “critical scouring” condition which means that sand and gravel that should be supporting bridge abutments underwater have been eroded away over time. 
He also reported that the Middle Thorofare drawbridge suffers from the same deterioration, but that it has also sustained damage from vessels that have occasionally collided with piers and abutments over the years.
All three bridges are inspected every two years. Repairs and maintenance tasks have been performed on all three, but after over 75 years, the consensus in the community is that something needs to be done to upgrade the key artery between Wildwood Crest and Lower Township.
In the past, shared services agreements between Lower Township and municipalities on the Wildwood side of the inlet have been required to ensure that fire and emergency medical services can be provided to Lower Township residents in Diamond Beach. Such agreements are needed since fire apparatus could not cross the Middle Thoroughfare Bridge from Erma due to tonnage restrictions based on the age and condition of the bridges.
One stakeholder wanted to know how long this project would take to be completed because he had been waiting for something to be done for over 15 years.
The plan calls for four phases that will each take a minimum of two years to complete, at the earliest.
The initial data gathering and Alternative Development phase, the Preliminary Preferred Alternative phase, the Preliminary and Final Engineering phase, and the Construction phase will result in either restoration or replacement of one or more of those bridges depending on costs and required load and functional specifications. The project will also address street flooding along Ocean Drive by raising the roadbed to protect that piece of road from future “100- year” storms.
Project conceptual alternatives will be partly developed during meetings with stakeholders in the area. The public will be asked to participate later in May of this year.
The goal is to improve safety and traffic on this portion of Ocean Drive for vehicles, bicyclists, pedestrians, and commercial shipping. Based on a study, there are about 5,000 bridge openings per year. Participants at this meeting were urged to complete a survey that asked questions about their needs and transportation problems along this 2.75-mile project zone.
Additional meetings will be scheduled as more data is collected from stakeholders in the immediate area and the general public as the initial phases of this project are rolled out.
To contact Jim McCarty, email jmccarty@cmcherald.com.