Sunset Avenue Bridge pile driving begins

Ocean Township — The project to replace the Sunset Avenue Bridge (O-10) over Deal Lake between Ocean Township and Asbury Park will be taking a significant step forward in the coming weeks.
Work to drive the required foundation piles for the new bridge began last week.
Seventy-two piles are required to support three new piers that will support Sunset Avenue Bridge. Three test piles were driven in March.

Weather permitting, 23 piles at each of the three piers should be driven in place by May 22.

Additional piles will be driven this summer: 85 in June to support the bridge abutment and retaining walls on the Asbury Park side, and 45 in July/August to support the bridge abutment and retaining walls on the Ocean Township side.

“Work to completely replace the more than 80-year old Sunset Avenue Bridge is well under way,” said Freeholder Thomas A. Arnone, liaison to the Department of Public Works and Engineering. “When completed, the new structure will improve travel between Ocean Township and Asbury Park.”

The demolition of the old Sunset Avenue Bridge began this past winter. NJ Department of Environmental Protection restricts the period of time that the contractor can work in the water.

Detours are posted and motorists should divert around Deal Lake by using Wickapecko Drive, Fourth Avenue and Memorial Drive.
The project has an expected completion date of late May 2016.  When complete, the new bridge will feature two-12-foot lanes with six-foot shoulders and six-foot sidewalks.

Additional improvements will be minor roadway widening to match the bridge approaches on the Ocean township side, improved storm water drainage, decorative lighting and new guide rail treatments.

The contractor for this project is Kyle Conti Construction, Hillsborough, NJ. The contract amount is $7,444,447. The project is being funded by the Federal Highway Administration, under the administration of the NJDOT and the New Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA).

The county’s Department of Public Works and Engineering is overseeing this project.