September 2007

Particular Potential Environmental Impacts from the 3-year Construction of the Proposed Highlands - Sea Bright Bridge

The special nature of bridge construction raises the potential for environmental impacts. This paper highlights six (6) concerns and possible issues of bridge construction for the proposed NJ State Highway 36 - Highlands-Sea Bright Fixed Span Bridge over the mouth of the Shrewsbury River (near Sandy Hook bay) in Monmouth County , New Jersey . These concerns, raised by watershed council members, are intended to raise public awareness of possible or likely environmental issues during bridge construction and to call for an in-depth study on how the proposed 3-year construction of a new fixed-span bridge will impact the environmentally sensitive estuarine environment around the current bridge.

1) Benthic community & Release of Toxic Sediments in Water Column

The bottom and benthic ecosystem near the mouth of the Shrewsbury River has been shaped and formed over approximately the last 100 years based on the existing Highlands-Sea Bright Bridge . Changing or destroying the existing footprint of the bridge might have a negative impact on the habitats of entire species of fish and their spawning grounds. Shrewsbury River fish include Striped Bass, Winter Flounder, and 200 other species. Moreover, digging into the water will disturb chemicals in the sediment that would otherwise never be released. This in turn, would make eating or consuming shellfish and fish from the Shrewsbury River and its environs, such as Blue-Claw Crab and Little Neck Clams, a riskier proposition than it is already.

2 ) Stormwater Runoff

Stormwater runoff is a major source of non-point source contaminants in the Shrewsbury River and nearby Sandy Hook Bay . Because bridges last so long, their construction or reconstruction is a rare opportunity to improve the treatment of road runoff which will have a lasting effect. The methods for limiting the impacts of nonpoint source pollution have become known as Best Management Practices (BMPs).

Extended contact with a rich biotic community, like a constructed wetland, allows plants to adsorb nutrients, and organisms to metabolize toxics.

• Question: What BMPs will be used to treat road runoff or stormwater before it enters the Shrewsbury River or Sandy Hook Bay ?

  3) Steep Roadway Issues

The new bridge and its construction will almost certainly have a new steep roadway. Large quantities of water may run down the road, creating the potential for severe on-street flooding and/or erosion.

• Question: Is there a plan that carefully reviews the drainage patterns during construction.
• Question: Where and how will water descend from road level to river level?

4 ) Impact to Endangered & Threatened Avian Wildlife

NJDOT has plans to use the southern area of Gateway National Park as a staging area for all the construction materials for three (3) years.  The following Endangered or Threatened bird species can be found either nesting or feeding during the spring & summer at the southern end of Sandy Hook near where NJDOT has plans to store construction materials for 3-years:

Piping Plover (Both Federal and NJ State Endangered)

Least Tern (NJ State Endangered)

Black Skimmer (NJ State Endangered)

Black-crowned Night Heron (NJ State Threatened)

Red Knot (NJ State Threatened)

• Question: What impact will the high disturbance level from increased and neighboring noise pollution, light pollution, and large-scale movement of big machinery have on the quality of life to nesting and feeding shorebirds at this end of the hook for 3 years?

5) Impact to Beach Access to Sandy Hook

NJDOT has plans to use the southern area of Gateway National Park as a staging area for all the construction materials for 3 years. 

• Question: How will the storage of construction materials for 3 years at the southern end of Sandy Hook impact beach access for fishing, bird watching, and other forms of recreation to this popular portion of Sandy Hook .

• Question: Is this a permitted use of a national park to be employed as a staging area for a long-term state road construction project or be a construction storage zone. Three years appears like a long time to close or impede an important part of Sandy Hook .   If this is permitted, which government official(s) gave their permission?

6) Unsafe Issues to Consider During Construction

Bridge construction and reconstruction is similar to any land disturbing activity. The very nature of bridge construction and reconstruction creates unique hazards and issues for non-point source pollution. Bridge construction takes place directly adjacent to and above vulnerable and sensitive water resources. This leads to special questions:

  Questions:

• Who will inspect and maintain sediment controls before, during and after storms while construction is going on?

• Will any sort of draping or protection be used above the water? Some work, such a painting, fueling, scraping, or moving equipment around involves the use of potentially hazardous or dangerous materials directly over the water. For such work, what provisions will be made to intercept typical splatter from paint or possible accidents from falls. In no case should large quantities of paint, fuel or other chemicals be stored or transferred from one container to another where a spill will travel directly into the water. This is concern too, since the channel is highly utilized by recreational and commercial boats during the spring, summer, autumn, and winter

The Bayshore Regional Watershed Council (BRWC) is an all-volunteer environmental group. Since 2000, the council has been working to improve the physical environment in the Bayshore region of Middlesex and Monmouth counties, New Jersey . The BRWC is made up of volunteers, including citizens, scientists, environmental commissioners, and municipal officials from a variety of Bayshore communities, from Old Bridge Township eastward to the Borough of Highlands.

The council's goal is the restoration and conservation of Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay . This goal can only be accomplished, however, through active public participation by people in each Bayshore community. 

Sincerely,

Joseph Reynolds

Co-chair

Bayshore Regional Watershed Council