News
Kean To Meet With DOT On Highlands Bridge Traffic
By Ryan Fennell
SEA BRIGHT - Senator Sean Kean (R-11) was in Sea Bright on Wednesday morning and called on the New Jersey Department of Transportation to improve the traffic patterns and congestion surrounding the construction of the Highlands Bridge.
Kean met with restaurant owner Kathleen Brooks, owner of Something Fishy, which is located immediately south of Sandy Hook.
According to Brooks, her business has dropped 55 percent this summer due to the traffic patterns implemented because of the construction project.
According to the adjoining business Brooks Seafood Distribution's General Manager Mike Carson business had fallen 20 to 30 percent in the summer of 2008 but since this summer's closure of the southbound lane exiting Sandy Hook as part of the DOT's plan to ease congestion in the area, business has fallen by 55 percent.
Carson said that because of the traffic backups as a result of the construction and traffic patterns, he has to pay his drivers two to three hours per day in overtime.
"The main problem is when these cars come off the Hook they have no other option," Kean said. "They have to go back into the Highlands and do an elaborate U-turn to come back over the bridge. It's a major impediment for somebody that's trying to run a restaurant."
The restaurant has also been structurally affected by the proximity of the heavy construction equipment and pile driving according to Brooks.
"My priority is going to be about next season," Kean said. "This summer is pretty much over. We're going to try to come up with a solution for the future that shouldn't start in February or March of next year but rather we should come up with that plan now so we're in the position going forward to have this in place. If you don't get it in line now, next year is going to be another disaster."
Kean plans to meet with the DOT Commissioner Steve Dilts on Thursday August 13 to discuss the traffic pattern issues as well as make several suggestions as to how to improve the situation next year.
"There are alternatives that we have that we're going to suggest to the DOT," said Kean. "The primary alternative is we have to have a situation where traffic is going back into Sea Bright. We're not talking about recreating the wheel. We're talking about a simple engineering plan and my understanding is that it's very doable."
"I believe in two years once the bridge is completed it's going to be a benefit to the area but for this period of time it's absolutely a hardship for the residents and the businesses in this area," Kean said.
The portion of the bridge that is in use by motorists currently is scheduled to be demolished in late fall of 2009 and early spring of 2010 according to the DOT.
According to Kean, next year's traffic plan would eliminate the ability for motorists to use the U-turn located immediately north of the existing bridge.
Kean said that if this occurs there would be several more businesses that will be negatively impacted by the bridge construction and that "businesses would not be able to survive" another summer.
Kean said the possible elimination of the U-turn leading to Bay Avenue in Highlands would be among the issues discussed with the DOT commissioner on Thursday.
