Not to be confused with the Thursday emergency Oceanic Bridge shut-down, due to an embankment mudslide, long-planned safety upgrades to the bridge are coming soon, and so is another bridge closure.

On Jan. 7, Monmouth County will begin its slated project to upgrade the safety systems on the bridge, which connects Rumson and Middletown. The work requires the closure of the bridge to vehicles and pedestrian traffic during the estimated three-week work period that is expected to conclude on Jan. 28.

The bridge’s roadway will be closed so the contractor, IEW Construction Group, can replace safety gates and perform other upgrades and maintenance work. 

“This work is required because the existing equipment is outdated and replacement parts are becoming more difficult to find,” county Engineer Joseph M. Ettore, P.E. said. “We are maximizing this scheduled closure to have county crews perform repair work to damage caused by Superstorm Sandy and to provide NJ Natural Gas with access for their necessary repair and installation work." 

The Oceanic Bridge will be open to marine traffic during the upgrades, which are funded by the state's Transportation Trust Fund.

“During this project, all vehicle traffic is being diverted east or west (see below),” said Freeholder Deputy Director Thomas A. Arnone, liaison to the county’s Department of Public Works and Engineering. “Motorists should use the signed detours and anticipate travel delays during this time. We want to keep this bridge in good working order and safe for travelers and the bridge operators.”

This work is being performed under a contract that is providing safety system upgrades at each of the four movable bridges owned and operated by Monmouth County: the Sea Bright-Rumson Bridge, the Glimmer Glass Bridge, and the Shark River Bridge connecting Avon and Belmar. Glimmer Glass and Shark River have already had their traffic and barrier gates replaced as part of this project. 

Work on the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge will take place in 2013, as well. 

Detours for work the Oceanic Bridge and slated Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge upgrades:

All motor vehicle traffic on Bingham Avenue between Rumson and Middletown (CR-8) will be detoured west, through Fair Haven and Red Bank to Middletown, or east, through Sea Bright and Highlands to Middletown.

Northbound traffic from Rumson on Bingham Avenue (CR-8) should detour east through Fair Haven and Red Bank on East River Road (CR-10) to East Front Street to Route 35 North to Navesink River Road (CR-12A) in Middletown.

Or, northbound traffic can detour from Bingham Avenue south, turn left onto Rumson Road (CR-520) to Sea Bright and turn left onto Ocean Avenue (Route 36 North) to Highlands and take the jug handle for Navesink Avenue in Middletown. Follow Navesink Avenue and turn left onto Locust Avenue and left again onto Locust Point Road (CR-8B). 

Southbound traffic from Middletown should detour west on Navesink River Road (CR-12A) to Route 35 South in Red Bank. And then will follow detour signs to travel west on East Front Street (CR10)/ East River Road through Fair Haven and into Rumson.

Or, southbound traffic can detour from Navesink River Road (CR-12A)/ Locust Point Road (CR-8B) and turn right onto Locust Avenue, turning right onto Navesink Avenue and then bear right onto Route 36 South through Highlands and into Sea Bright. Turn right onto the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge and follow Rumson Road (CR-520) west to Bingham Avenue. Turn right onto Bingham Avenue (CR-8).