Two key projects for Ocean County—including the much-needed overpass for County Road 539 which goes through the center of Joint Base McGuire-Dix Lakehurst—championed by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), cleared their first hurdle Thursday, after the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) adopted Smith’s proposals and added them to a major transportation bill.

   Smith worked tirelessly with Ocean county and JB-MDL officials to propose and insert the prioritized local transportation projects into the INVEST in America Act, a nation-wide surface transportation reauthorization bill. The bill must still be passed by the full House and negotiated in the Senate.

   “Working together with local officials, we identified and reviewed transportation projects to address road safety hazards and ease travel for New Jersey drivers,” Smith said. “These two projects in Ocean County, as well as others approved throughout the Fourth District, will benefit not only the local communities, but also traveling motorists and their passengers hailing from throughout the tri-state area region.”

  The bill would provide $7 million toward the construction of the 539 overpass, and $1.3 million to redevelop the business district in Point Pleasant Beach Borough.

   “For the men and women who train on Joint Base MDL, it offers thousands of acres of added training space east of CR 539, with faster and safer routes for military personnel to travel,” Smith said. “The CR-539 project will allow the Army to continue and expand its vital national security mission to train Army Reservist and Army National Guard Members during peacetime. Additionally, it will allow shore-bound motorists safer travel by keeping military vehicles and conveys off CR 539 and State Highway Route 70, which are currently their common routes to go from one end of the base to the other.”

   Civilian traffic would ride above on the new overpass on CR 539, while large military tactical vehicles would be able to travel more safely and efficiently below. In addition to roadway safety, Smith said, “The Army told me the proposed overpass is in direct support of its readiness mission to serve the operational capability of the Guard and Reserves from the greater Northeast.”

   Smith, who represents the majority of JB-MDL, said the 539 overpass project is expected to cost about $10 million to build. His request to the committee would contribute $7 million, with project sponsor Ocean County committed to kick-in $2 million, and another $1 million in the bill via the request of Rep. Kim of the neighboring Third Congressional District.

    Smith also successfully requested that the Point Pleasant Beach Channel Drive ADA Compliance Upgrade and Surface Revitalization Project be added to the bill. The project would improve safety and ADA accessibility in a five-block shopping and business district by removing and replacing curbing and sidewalks, as well as installing ADA-compliant ramps, driveway aprons and benches, color-contrasting crosswalks and pavement markings, and signage. 

   “Point Pleasant Beach is a favorite destination for travelers from across the state and beyond,” Smith said. “This project will serve both the community and visitors, especially seniors and the disabled, by making pedestrian traffic safer and more accessible.”

   Smith successfully asked the T&I Committee to fund 80 percent of the project’s anticipated cost of $1,750,000, or $1,399,785, for construction. The Borough would pay the 20 percent local match.

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