Oceanic Design Phase Begins; Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge Nearly Traffic Ready
By Stephen Appezzato
RUMSON – The years-in-the-making plan to replace the Oceanic Bridge connecting Rumson to the Navesink section of Middletown inched forward this week with the formal start of the preliminary engineering and design phase of the project.
On Tuesday, county officials, members of the bridge design team from Hamilton-based engineering firm Michael Baker International Inc., and representatives of the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority met for a kickoff meeting.
According to Monmouth County Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone, this stage requires about 24 months to “continue to advance the design and the environmental studies of the selected alternative.”
“This is a major undertaking, supported by federal funds, and will include extensive outreach with local officials, stakeholders and the public,” he said. The project team will post updates on the dedicated project website throughout the process.
In the fall, county officials conditionally awarded a preliminary engineering and design contract – valued at up to $4.9 million – to Michael Baker International. This two-year phase is fully funded by a $4.97 million federal grant that was executed in late February.
Over the next two years, a community engagement plan will also be executed in which residents and local stakeholders can voice their opinions on the bridge project during public meetings.
The proposed replacement bridge will likely be 65 feet above mean sea level, if officials opt for a fixed bridge design, as the U.S. Coast Guard has requested.
The Oceanic Bridge was originally constructed in 1939 and is at the end of its service life, a fact demonstrated by multiple malfunctions last summer when the drawbridge became stuck in the open position.
Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge
On the other side of town, officials anticipate traffic along the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge will be shifted from the existing structure to the new movable bridge by the start of summer.
“Current work includes the installation of the mechanical and electrical components that operate the span of the bridge and the construction of the adjacent intersections,” Arnone said. Alongside the bridge construction, the county is making improvements to the intersections at Rumson Road and Ward Avenue, and Rumson Road and Ocean Avenue.
The overall project is expected to be completed by spring 2026. Once the new bridge is completed and traffic is fully shifted, the existing bridge will be demolished.
“Monmouth County is committed to improving our infrastructure to keep the public safe and these two projects are examples of this effort,” Arnone said.
The article originally appeared in the March 27 – April 2, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
