Wide ranging improvements to Ocean County roads accessing the Garden State Parkway at Interchange 91 in Brick Township are expected to increase safety and reduce commuter congestion, according to Ocean County officials.

The Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders is expected to award a contract to Green Construction Inc., South River, on Sept. 3 and work on the project could get underway by mid-October.

“The improvements at Interchange 91 which include adding and relocation of on and off ramps to create a fully accessible interchange that will reduce traffic congestion and increase safety along with the level of performance on the roadway now and 20 years into the future,” said Freeholder John P. Kelly, Director of Law and Public Safety.

Kelly, who serves as liaison to the Ocean County Engineering Department, noted the project is being done in partnership with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

“This is one of our most far-reaching designs to upgrade a Parkway interchange,” Kelly said. “We’ve worked closely with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and Brick Township to redesign the roads leading into this interchange to meet the needs of the region’s growing population.”

Plans call for a full interchange with both northbound and southbound entrance and exit ramps.

Currently, Exit 91 allows only northbound vehicles to enter the Parkway, while only southbound traffic can exit.

“This project will meet the needs of our growing population far into the future,” said Freeholder Director Joseph H.

Vicari. “This area is home to a large number of commuters especially living in Brick and Lakewood townships and this will help ease their ride to and from work.”

Kelly noted the redesign will also allow easier access to the Park-N-Ride commuter lots on both the east and west sides of the highway.

“Not only will this almost totally new interchange ease traffic on nearby Lanes Mill Road and Burnt Tavern Road, it will also reduce congestion at nearby Exit 90 at Chambers Bridge Road,” said Freeholder James F. Lacey, who serves as liaison to the Ocean County Road Department. “Many of those motorists who now drive the extra miles from Chambers Bridge Road to northern Brick and Point Pleasant will now be able to utilize this interchange instead.”

Among the planned changes are:

• A new northbound entrance ramp from Burnt Tavern Road and Lanes Mill Road, with access to the Park-N-Ride lot on the east side of the Parkway.
• A second northbound entrance ramp for vehicles traveling eastbound on Burnt Tavern Road. This ramp will also allow access from Burrsville Road. The single existing northbound ramp will be eliminated.
• A new northbound exit and entrance ramps linking the Parkway and Burrsville Road.
• A new southbound entrance ramp for traffic heading west on Burnt Tavern Road.
• A second southbound entrance ramp linking Lanes Mill Road with the Parkway. Herborn Avenue would be extended south and east to Lanes Mill Road, where it would meet the new entrance ramp at a signaled intersection.

Southbound Parkway traffic could exit at the existing ramp or continue under the Burnt Tavern Road Bridge and use a new ramp that will link with Lanes Mill Road at a second new signaled interchange.

The project also includes the construction of seven new traffic signals and the installation of storm water quality measures.
The County received nine bids on the project and the lowest qualified bidder came in 3.5 percent under the engineer’s estimate.

“This project is funded 100 percent by the state,” Kelly said. “We have worked in partnership with the state Department of Transportation, the Turnpike Authority and with the support of Brick Township to get this underway.”

The contract amount is $21,319,770. While the project is expected to take about two and a half years to complete, disruption is expected to be minimal because much of the project is new roadway.

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