County to Open Exit 83 Connector Road Friday

County's portion of the project completed three months ahead of schedule, officials say

By Karen Wall
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June 27, 2012

Ocean County Engineer Frank Scarantino explains the traffic patterns on the new Interchange 83 at the freeholders' pre-board meeting on Wednesday.

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Ocean County Engineer Frank Scarantino explains the traffic patterns on the new Interchange 83 at the freeholders' pre-board meeting on Wednesday.

Credit Karen Wall

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Come Friday, drivers will have a new road to get them around the intersection of Routes 166 and 571 in Toms River.

The Exit 83 connector road, which was begun last October, will be opened on Friday to traffic as part of ongoing improvements at Interchange 83, the Ocean County Board of Freeholders announced today.

"Just in time for fans to use it to go see Ryan Howard playing for the (Lakewood) BlueClaws," quipped Freeholder John P. Kelly, joking about the timing of the completion of the project. Howard, a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, is playing for the BlueClaws for a few days as he returns to the major league club after an injury.

The connector road, named Lomell Lane in honor of Leonard G. "Bud" Lomell, the Ocean County resident and World War II hero who is known for his actions in the early hours of D-Day at Pointe du Hoc in Normandy, France.

The intersection of 166 and 571, just north of where Exit 83 deposited drivers onto Route 166, is one of the busiest in the county, handling 5,000 trips per hour, County Engineer Frank Scarantino said. Of those, 1,800 per hour involve a turn of some sort. The new connector road and the redesign of the interchange will allow traffic to flow more smoothly, and give drivers easier ways of reaching parts of Lakewood as well as the Ocean County Mall, Kelly said.

"This will take 800 of those turning trips out of that intersection," Scarantino said.

On the Route 166 and Lomell Lane intersection, the traffic light was activated Monday as a flashing light, part of the transition to a fully operational traffic light there on Friday.

With the opening of the road, traffic from Route 571 westbound can now hop on the parkway north or south at Lomell Lane, or they can proceed to Route 166 north or south and bypass the intersection of Routes 571 and 166.

Conversely, traffic from Route 166 can avoid the same intersection and proceed to Route 571 or Intermediate North Way via Lomell Lane.

A new traffic light at Intermediate North Way and Old Freehold Road is also now in place as part of the traffic changes.

Related Topics: Exit 83 and Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders

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Washer

5:24 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012

I already noticed that the new light at old Freehold and Int north way is creating new back ups in that area. We are just shifting the problem around from one road to another. Who cares about the Blue Claws traffic. More of that traffic would have stayed on route 9 towards Lakewwod. Now your sticking it on Old Freehold through more residential areas and putting it closer to two schools. Maybee they should have built the softball complex over there vs the connector road. I am sure Mr Lomell would have been happier to be made after that vs a connector road.

Catherine Galioto

5:28 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012

I just added some more details on the ensuing traffic patterns after the road opens, near the end of the story.

George

7:25 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012

A southbound Parkway exit is needed there at #83 or somewhere else between Brick and Rt. 37, but millions were spent without adding one.

While they're rebuilding the Parkway at the Church Rd. overpass, can we pressure the Tpk. Authrty. to design an exit there so it might be built in our lifetime?

Catherine Galioto

8:12 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012

The public comment period on the turnpike authority plans between miles 83 and 100 is over, but to contact the NJTPA, visit: http://www.state.nj.us/turnpike/contact-us.html

i don't get it??

8:00 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012

WoW!! That's going to cause a lot of confusion out there... If you weren't familiar with that area, the above information would confuse most. Good Luck to the county on this one...and really, BlueClaws traffic?

julie wilson

8:43 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012

Why would anyone get off there for the game when they can get off in Brick and be 5-10 mins away. If you get off there your a good 20 + mins away. So dumm and a waste.

Washer

1:02 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012

Well said

Xavier

7:10 am on Friday, June 29, 2012

My thoughts exactly. I always get off in Brick.

Momere

8:44 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012

I'm sure the folks who live in Fairway VIillage will love this new traffice conjection right at their door step! and just wait until school opens in September! This will create an even heavier traffic tie up in the area. I live very near this and I'm thinking the only advantage is the addition of the ramp going North on the Parkway, But, time will tell if this will work.

GB Shore

8:54 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012

I think this will alleviate traffic that builds up at the intersection near the Shell Station and Home Depot. As far as more traffic, I don't think it is going to be any more...it is just making it more convenient and getting the traffic away from a particularly bad intersection. I do not see at all how this creates more traffic. As for the people who live over there, I do not think it is going to make a difference. they already bought over there with huge electrical towers/lines running thru it so now a connector road is going to get them all in a tizzy? C'mon.,...

Xavier

7:11 am on Friday, June 29, 2012

Not everyone is afraid of high tension lines. But most people are probably bothered by noise.

Dave

9:33 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012

There is an error in the article, you cannot enter parkway north or south from Lomell lane, only north. If you use Lomell lane from travelling westbound on 571 you can only enter parkway north. If you continue to rt 166, there is no entrance to parkway south on that side of road. Only way to enter parkway south is from 166 south from 571.

Chief Wahoo

9:56 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012

If Ryan Howard takes this exit he will never find the stadium.

Pete

11:41 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012

Could this be used as an alternate way of getting into Toms River from the Parkway South? Taking exit 88 and coming in from Brick adds about 20 minutes to my commute every day.

E.L. Toms River

3:46 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012

Pete you could go to Exit 82 for 37 East, then get right back on Northbound and exit at 83

bayway mike

5:15 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012

Freeloader Kelly shouldn't worry about Ryan Howard using this exit to get to First Energy Park.. He should worry about the results of his blood test.. That was taken after he killed that motorcyclist..

Da Gr8 1

10:59 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012

there are never enough roads being built in ocean county the more the merrier

tom messina

11:27 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2012

ask christie he can see it all better from the state copter on his way to the next wrestlemania event in met life stadium.

Ken

11:54 am on Friday, June 29, 2012

Tried the new light today on 166. Thought I would be able to avoid the light at 571 and be able to get to the mall easier. Unfortunately after on got on the part of the road that would lead towards that way was closed and your only option was to get on Parkway North. THANKS for taking me out of my way by almost 45 minutes and a toll since I had to go to the Brick exit and tan travel back to Toms River on Brick Blvd to get to Hooper which is what I was originally trying to do.

Da Gr8 1

3:09 pm on Friday, June 29, 2012

disagree ken i took it also instead of waiting at indian head and rt 9 i just cut thru the back way your supposed to make a left instead of a right it saved 5 minutes easily how did you end up in brick? the road takes you to 571 by the goddard school use your gps next time

Ken

5:46 pm on Friday, June 29, 2012

The road was closed at the time I went there. So I was forced to go on the Parkway North and the forst exit is brick. I do not need a gps to see that a road is blocked with removable barriers and signs saying road closed. I was trying to get to 571 by goddard school, what was I supposed to do move or runover the barriers.