August 9, 2007

County opens new Stone Road bridge

Realigned approaches to span will make traveling safer

UNION BEACH/KEYPORT – The new Stone Road bridge spanning Chingarora Creek

opened today after being closed for construction since October 2006. The bridge 
connects Union Beach and Keyport.

The bridge represents one of 16 bridges in Monmouth County termed “structurally 
deficient”

that have been replaced in the last four years, or nearly 25 percent of the 
county’s

structurally deficient bridges. Another 33 are considered “functionally 
obsolete.”

“It gives me great pleasure to be part of the bridge dedication, because the 
county

did more than build a new bridge – our engineers also realigned the approach 
roads and

added a walkway to make travel in this immediate area safer for motorists and 
pedestrians

alike,” Freeholder Robert D. Clifton said.


The original configuration comprised a three-point intersection convergent at 
the

westerly bridge approach, a steel grid deck on a slightly skewed alignment and single

approach road to the east. The new bridge was built with a concrete pre-stressed 
deck

on new concrete abutments. It is 36 feet wide between curbs, with a 5 foot wide 
sidewalk

along the north side of the bridge.

Instead of the three-point intersection, there is now a T-intersection of Second

Street with Stone Road. In addition, the intersection of Stone Road and Walnut 
Street

was improved and a vacated portion of Second Street is used in conjunction with 
other

property obtained by the county to create a wetlands mitigation/enhancement 
area,

compensating for wetland areas impacted by this project.


The bridge and road improvements were built by Marbro Inc. of Montclair at a 
cost

of $3 million.


The county is actively pursuing replacement of its older bridges, County 
Engineer

Joseph Ettore said. The term structurally deficient does not mean the bridge is 
dangerous,

Ettore said, but could mean that it no longer meets today’s load standards. 


Functionally obsolete is another broad term that could mean that the lanes are not wide

enough by modern-day standards.

“All of our bridges are safe,” Ettore said, noting that every one of the 
county’s 980 bridges undergo a thorough inspection every two years.

 print