Reconstructed bridge opens
BY JOHN SUTTON
Correspondent

ERIC SUCAR staff The county has opened the new and improved Wilson Avenue Bridge for traffic. The span connects Marlboro and Aberdeen over Matawan Brook.

MARLBORO - Local and Monmouth County officials gathered on June 28 for a ribbon cutting ceremony to dedicate a reconstructed bridge that connects Aberdeen Township and Marlboro at Wilson Avenue and Ticetown Road in the Morganville section of the community.

The bridge spans Matawan Brook. The old bridge had been closed since December.

The primary goal in rebuilding the bridge was to provide a safer trip over the brook than has previously existed. The old structure was built in 1910 and constructed of wood which was conducive to the traffic of that time, but not the traffic of 2007.

The bridge was also so narrow that it was only a single-lane bridge prior to the reconstruction, according to Rod Lewis, an employee from HNTB Corporation who worked as the construction inspector on the bridge.

"Why wait for an accident to happen?" Lewis said. "Why not be proactive and fix it now instead of being reactive after an accident happens?"

In place of the old, damaged wooden surface of the bridge, a modern structure with concrete was installed to provide safe passage for motorists.

Marlboro Mayor Robert Kleinberg, who attended the ceremony, said the primary concern in rebuilding the bridge was safety for people crossing it.

"The biggest advantage to this new bridge is that parents with children in the car can see what is coming in front of them when they turn over the bridge," Kleinberg said. "The bridge was done in the 1900s so it was built for that time period, but now it is ready for this time."

Prior to the reconstruction, the bridge did not meet weight requirements and the width of the bridge was substandard. Both of those issues have been fixed.

The bridge is now two lanes which will allow an easier flow of traffic on an everyday basis. There is currently not a constant flow of traffic across the span, commonly referred to as the Wilson Avenue Bridge. The primary motorists who go over it will be commuters heading to and from the Aberdeen-Matawan train station, according to Kleinberg.

It is still possible to see the wood foundations of where the old bridge was. These foundations make the dangers of the old bridge evident, said Rich Lally, an engineer from HNTB.

The new bridge cost $1.5 million and was built by Marbro Inc., of Montclair, according to a press release.

Among the officials in attendance were Freeholder Director William C. Barham who stood in the middle of those cutting the ribbon to open the bridge.

"Safety is our paramount concern," Barham said in a press release. "I'm glad we are able to do these upgrades so that motorists will have a safer driving experience on this road."