Politics & Government

Jamaica Boulevard Bridge Project To Create Holiday City Detours

40-year old span will be replaced in late spring, early summer in six month project

The Jamaica Boulevard bridge is getting wider.

A $1.2 million project, the bridge in the Holiday City section of Berkeley is growing by 10 feet to become a 41-foot structure with 5-foot sidewalks on each side, said Freeholder John P. Kelly in a release.

The Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders will seek bids for the estimated $1.2 million project, which is slated to be under construction early summer.

Find out what's happening in Toms Riverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Officials said the six-month project will create a detour for drivers using Jamaica Boulevard, a main road for the Holiday City community, which borders Toms River along Route 37’s western portions.

The road connects the Plaza Drive shopping mall to CVS and Favorite’s off-track betting on Bananier Drive, before ending after the Marquee Plaza near Bimini Drive.

Find out what's happening in Toms Riverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"This is a 40-year-old bridge that has reached the end of its lifespan," said Kelly, who is the director of law and public safety for the county. "The new modern bridge will ensure safe access to the Holiday City area."

The project, which will go out to bid soon, will be paid for between state and county coffers, Kelly said.

The state will pay $1 million toward the project with the county funding the additional $200,000. "All of the utility lines will either be reinstalled under the stream or through conduits built directly into the bridge sidewalk," Kelly said.

Work is expected to begin in the late spring or early summer and should be completed by the end of the year, he added.

That includes the use of prefabricated sections trucked into the bridge site, Kelly said, adding this approach shortens the time frame to the project.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here