Route 35, Whale Creek Flooding, and the Cheesequake Creek Drawbridge

Someone mentioned to me last night that renovations are planned for June 2010 to the section of Route 35 between Aberdeen and Laurence Harbor. That's the section of Route 35 that is routinely flooded by Whale Creek.I've not been able to confirm this, but I did find the following reports. Since these projects were planned during the previous governor's administration, and the current governor is wielding a sharp ax on budgets, the improvements detailed below may or may not ever occur. Just fyi.

The Independent reported on 8 October 2009 that the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) was planning to "rehabilitate, widen, replace culvert, and make safety improvements at four intersections along Route 35 from Greenwood Drive to Prospect Avenue in Aberdeen and Old Bridge." They are talking about Project 177A, which is expected to cost a total of $27.762 million when completed in FY 2013. The project can be found on page 22 of Monmouth Projects. The map on the NJTPA website shows Project 177A running roughly from just south of Laurence Harbor Parkway to the Matawan Creek bridge just north of Main Street in Matawan.

The project description shows that the 2010 phase of the project involves only acquisition of right of way ($2 million) for the widening of the road. Construction ($13.86 million) isn't scheduled until FY 2013.

The project was explained in more detail in FY 2006 projects. Here's the gist:

The existing roadway will be reconstructed from Matawan Creek to south of Laurence Harbor Parkway to improve safety and traffic flow. Improvements will include: reprofile Route 35 to bring the roadway elevation above the 25-year storm level; widening the roadway to bring the existing lanes and shoulders to standard widths; providing additional turning lanes, signalization, signing and pedestrian facilities at four intersections within the project limits. This project will be bicycle/pedestrian compatible.

This project is funded under the provisions of Section 13 of P.L. 1995, c.108. Total right of way cost is $13,300,000.

Further north on Route 35, New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJ DOT) expected to repair the severely deteriorating Cheesequake Creek Drawbridge as part of a ten year statewide improvements program. The project would cost $34 million and the first of several contracts was to be granted in FY 2012.  Here's a link to the project as initially proposed, as well as a section of text explaining the project:

A design and construction contract is required to repair and slow the rate of deterioration to this structure. Several elements of this bridge exhibit severe deterioration and if no significant repairs are initiated, the useful service lift of this structure will be compromised. Since the complete replacement of this structure is considered unfundable, it is recommended that this rehabilitation effort be undertaken. The rehabilitation design may likely result in more than one construction contract; however, at this time, only one construction project is shown.

This project is multi-year funded under the provisions of Section 13 of P.L. 1995, c.108. Total construction funding needed is expected to be $34,000,000.