The Arnone Report: Important Infrastructure Projects In The Works

By Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Freeholder Director Tom Arnone speaks at the NJTPA Board Meeting – Jan 22, 2018

I hope everyone is staying warm, happy and healthy this winter season. It sure has been a cold one but there is only a little more than 100 days until the unofficial start to the summer season!

In the meantime, I would like to provide some information stemming from our recent meeting of the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

During our last meeting, we unanimously approved a resolution allowing emergency repairs to be made to the Glimmer Glass Bridge on Brielle Road in Manasquan. The scope of this project includes the installation of additional timber piles, the installation of fiberglass jackets on piles and mechanical repairs among other miscellaneous repairs. This work is scheduled to be completed and the bridge reopened to traffic in time for the upcoming summer season.

While these emergency repairs are underway, the County has also been working with the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority to complete the Monmouth County Three Bridges project. This project includes a study of rehabilitation or replacement of the Glimmer Glass Bridge.

There will be two public information center meetings to present the recommended preliminary preferred alternative for the Glimmer Glass Bridge, at which time the public is invited to provide comments and suggestions. The first meeting will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. at Manasquan Borough Hall, located at 201 East Main Street in Manasquan on February 15^th. The second meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at Brielle Borough Hall at the Curtis House, located at 644 Union Lane in Brielle. Additional information can be found online at www.monmouthcountythreebridges.com.

On a separate but exciting note, I am thrilled to announce the County recently was awarded $4.2 million in funding for two safety improvement projects in Holmdel Township and Upper Freehold. The two Monmouth County projects are among 14 throughout the area the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority Board of Trustees approved at its recent meeting. I would like to thank our County employees who work hard to secure funding like this for our improvement projects.

In the next few months I plan to visit municipalities throughout the County during public council meetings. I look forward to meeting with the governing bodies, as well as meeting with residents in each town. I also plan on discussing with each municipality updates on our shared services program. As liaison to the County’s economic development department, I am proud to see the success of this program all throughout Monmouth County.

On a final note, I would like to thank everyone who showed their support and attended a recent fundraiser for Allaire Community Farm in Wall Township. The mission of the fundraiser and ongoing efforts is to raise enough funding to allow the farm to operate as a year-round facility. For those who are not familiar with the farm, I can personally say Allaire Community Farm has done a tremendous job working with children with autism. This is also the farm involved in my healthy eating initiative for young students. For more information about the farm, visit www.allairecommunityfarm.org.

As always, it’s a privilege to serve as your Freeholder Director in 2018. I look forward to the coming months!