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How Will People Get To The Long Branch Pier?

By Art Gallagher

Long Branch is spending $3.7 million in federal taxpayers’ dollars, courtesy of Porky Pallone, for designs of a possible 900 foot pier to extend into the Atlantic Ocean.

The pier would be a transportation hub with a ferry terminal for commuters going to New York and an entertainment center with restaurants, retail, a theater, etc.  The costs are estimated to be anywhere between $46 million and $92 million before overruns which would be financed with federal and state taxpayers dollars and pie in the sky leases on the entertainment center.  Let’s call the project Xanadu South.

The Asbury Park Press reported that Long Branch officials have been lobbying adjacent governments and other agencies to support the proposal. Asbury Park officials were enthusiastic and Woolley has made presentations to the Monmouth County freeholders, NJ Transit, the Monmouth County Planning Board and the economic development committee of the Monmouth/Ocean Development Council.

The APP quotes Long Branch administrator as saying “Everybody has said “This is a great idea, we see value in it.”

I can understand why Asbury Park officials would be enthused.  I’m not so sure that Deal residents would be enthused by all the new traffic along Ocean Ave between Long Branch and Asbury Park.

I’ll let others debate the merits and financing of the actual project, for the moment.  What concerns me is how will people get there?  Traffic on Route 36 from Highlands to Eatontown is already a nightmare.  NJ DOT is finishing up a $140 million + Route 36 bridge project over the Shrewsbury now.  The eight lane bridge connects 4 lanes of Route 36 in Highlands to two lanes of Route 36 in Sea Bright.

When is the Route 36 expansion project going to be announced? 

How much land will be taken via eminent domain in Highlands, Sea Bright, Monmouth Beach, Long Branch (both Ocean Ave and Joline Ave), Oceanport and Eatontown?  Will the expansion extend along to Bayshore through Atlantic Highlands, Middletown, Union Beach, Keansburg and Keyport to the Garden State Parkway on the north?  Will it extend through Tinton Falls to the Garden State Parkway and Route 18 in the south?

Will there also be a Route 18 expansion project to connect Long Branch to New Brunswick and all the towns in between?

Is the Long Branch pier project the next step to turning Monmouth County into Bergen County with beaches?

Posted: October 8th, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: Long Branch, Long Branch pier, Monmouth County | Tags: , , | 2 Comments »