Thanks to AMY ROSEN of the EXAMINER for this content.
This road closure has personally affected my business. My office has a listing within walking distance to this bridge and our clients have had issues navigating the tricky and lengthy detour. Please be aware of this to avoid complications when showing clients homes in this part of Manalapan.
MANALAPAN — A long-awaited bridge reconstruction and dam rehabilitation project on Sweetmans Lane (Monmouth County Route 527) has begun.
The bridge and dam are in front of the Millhurst Mills home improvement center, about a quarter-mile south of Route 33.
According to the state Department of Transportation, the project will reconstruct the bridge over Manalapan Brook and the adjacent Millhurst dam and spillway.
Due to the project, Sweetmans Lane will not be passable as the bridge is being replaced; therefore, Sweetmans Lane between Kinney Road and Oakland Mills Road will remain closed for about one year, according to Monmouth County officials.
Motorists are advised to plan an alternate route or follow the posted detours.
According to the DOT, the existing road is supported by the Millhurst dam, and the bridge, which was constructed in 1953, passes over its spillway. The existing road fails to meet current standards and the bridge currently has a 10-ton weight limit.
The project will widen Sweetmans Lane to current standards and realign it to avoid interference with a historic mill building. The earthen embankment dam will be widened to accommodate the new road geometry. The spillway walls will be replaced with a new reinforced concrete structure. A sidewalk will be added to the location.
Partial funding for the project will be provided by federal stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). ARRA-NJ will pay $1,945,932 and the remaining $2,354,068 will be financed from other funds.
The Manalapan Police Department is reminding all drivers to be alert and cautious while operating a motor vehicle in a construction zone. Fines are doubled for any motor vehicle violations in a construction zone.
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