The coronavirus pandemic delayed efforts in Monmouth County to move forward designing a new bridge connecting Rumson to Middletown, after engineers determined the current 79-year-old bridge is now structurally deficient, and today – people can have a voice in what happens next.

The bridge is about a half mile in length, and crosses the Navesink River. The first public information hearing on what to do with the bridge was canceled, but today at 4 p.m., people can log in and have a voice, because county leaders need and want your input. 

It's expected to cost $150 million to replace the bridge between, with funding provided by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority. Currently, there are three options being looked at:

A do nothing wait and see approach.

A repair plan.

A replacement plan.

Details about the replacement will be revealed in the online forum this afternoon. Monmouth County Freeholder Director Tom Arnone says they want bids to go out as soon as November, and want to move quickly once plans are finalized.  

“I think it was built somewhere in 1939 in that area, and it’s old,” says Arnone. “A bridge is like a person, it won’t live forever and a bridge, they deteriorate, more importantly in areas of water and infrastructure. So, we are going to move forward.”

This means conducting at least the next few meetings virtually. Arnone says there will be minor inconveniences to the residents who live nearby, but they do plan on installing temporary bridges like they did in Red Bank to keep traffic moving while repairs are made.

For more information, click here.