By Joseph Sapia
COLTS NECK – The galloping horse has finally been corralled – at the traffic roundabout at the intersection of Dutch Lane, Crine Road and Heulitt Road.
The roundabout opened May 29 of last year. And, now, completing the design is the statue of a dark horse, which was put into place on the night of Thursday, May 12.
“It’s absolutely spectacular,” said township resident Lillian G. Burry, a member of the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders and driving force behind the placement of the horse statue. “It’s beyond my wildest dreams.
“I’m talking about the aesthetics. But, more importantly, is the safety feature,” she said.
The horse serves two purposes. One, it is the roundabout’s main internal feature, alerting motorists not to drive straight through the intersection, but around the circle of the roundabout. Two, the horse is symbolic of Colts Neck’s farming heritage.
The roads at the intersection, also known as the intersection of county Routes 4 and 46, had come together at an awkward alignment and has been the site of near-fatal traffic accidents over the the years, said Burry, a former township mayor.
“These (roads) all came together at different angles,” Burry said. “It was an absolute horror.”
Burry recalled township residents Kathy Trost, now deceased, and Michelle Warendorf advocated for an improvement of the intersection.
The solution was the roundabout, which serves to slow and control traffic coming into the intersection.
The bronze horse stands about 6-1/2 feet tall and 9-1/2 feet long atop a rise in the middle of the roundabout, which is decorated with Knockout roses and other vegetation. The horse was bought at cost from Brock Farms Home and Garden World in the township for $13,500.
Overall, the project cost about $1.3 million.
Mayor Tom Orgo had been involved with other locals who wanted to fund the horse privately, but no agreement came about with the county. Orgo, a Republican, as is Burry, agreed it is a county project, adding the county is using tax dollars to pay for the horse.
As for whether Orgo and his group of locals will end up providing any money for the statue is unclear. Orgo, who was out of state, said he would look into the matter when he returns home.
Federal Department of Transportation guidelines say a focal feature in a roundabout could enhance community heritage or represent local culture – in this case, Colts Neck’s name and its farming tradition.
Originally, the there was disagreement about whether to place a large holly tree or a statue as the focal feature, due to the respective costs. But in November, the county Board of Freeholders approved the horse statue.
The original horse in stock at Brock Farms was found to be damaged. So, a replacement had to be ordered. The replacement came in earlier this year and is now in place.
“Hopefully, everybody’s happy,” said Ed Brock Jr. of Brock Farms. “I’m glad it’s done and resolved.”
“Eddie Brock has been just wonderful through all this,” Burry said. “He was so cooperative. It didn’t represent any profit for him at all.” Burry also noted Brock is a township resident and lives near the roundabout.
“The roundabout came out nice and I’m looking forward to seeing the horse up,” said Brock, who had not yet seen the horse in place.
“I don’t think anybody thought it would be as majestic,” Burry said.
