Trucks traveling along Laurel Avenue in Holmdel keep smashing into a train overpass, and now repairs will disrupt drivers and riders over the next several weeks.

There's only 12 feet, 5 inches of space between the overpass and Laurel Avenue, but some drivers fail to take notice of the numerous warning signs and end up smashing into the top.

“I've lived in Holmdel my entire life. We always have people who hit that bridge,” says Dan Unanski, with Holmdel Bagels. “I think they did a number on it the last time they hit it.”

Unanski is referring to the most recent collision on March 4. The damage was so severe that it’s forcing New Jersey Transit to make extensive emergency repairs -- forcing one side of the tracks to shut down. In a few weeks, there will be a complete closure of Laurel avenue.  

“It's going to be a huge mess,” says Kelly Shanahan, of Keansburg. “There's already backups all the time on Laurel Avenue, so it's going to be awful to be honest with you - and I take Laurel Avenue to go to work.

Unanski owns Holmdel Bagels just off Laurel Avenue and hopes repairs are done before the busy summer traffic season. 

“Hopefully, they can get the work done pretty quickly,” says Unanski. “I'm hoping that's done before the summer obviously, with the short traffic and everything.

New Jersey Transit is telling people who ride the North Jersey Coast Line to check their schedules for time changes and adjustments. Holmdel police are warning drivers to expect lane closures starting this week, and the potential for full closures in both directions of Laurel Avenue around April 11.  

There are plans in consideration for a permanent fix to the low crossing. News 12 has reached out to Monmouth County for an update on the timeline.