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Area residents will get a reprieve until late next year from traffic snarls and detours caused by the Sunset Avenue bridge replacement project.

Construction on a new bridge, which links Asbury Park and Wanamassa, is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2013, according to Monmouth County government spokesman William Heine.

“The existing bridge is in poor condition and needs to be replaced in its entirety,” Heine said.

The project is on schedule, and application has been made for the necessary Department of Environmental Protection permits, Heine said. The county is currently finalizing the design.

The new bridge will be a four-span bridge compared to the current five spans. It will remain one lane in each direction, but the shoulders and sidewalks will be widened to meet current design standards.

“Architecturally, the new bridge will be similar in appearance to the existing bridge so it will continue to complement the surrounding community,” Heine said.

The replacement cost is estimated to be $8 million, all of which will be federally funded. The county expects to go out to bid on the project in 2013 with a tentative start date in the fall of 2013, depending on when permits are approved, Heine said.

 

 

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