Faulty Route 71 drawbridge to undergo emergency repairs; detours planned

Asbury Park Press

The Route 71 drawbridge over the Shark River between Belmar and Avon by the Sea is closed to vehicular traffic while the bridge undergoes emergency repairs, Monmouth County officials have said.

The bridge on March 1 experienced a mechanical failure that resulted in significant damage to the machinery of the northbound bridge leaf, rendering it inoperable, officials said.

A crane holds the north leaf of the Route 71 bridge over the Shark River, between Belmar (left) and Avon-By-The- Sea, in an open position Tuesday, March 12, 2024. The bridge was stuck in the closed position, blocking boat access to the ocean.

Marine traffic that was able to pass under the bridge in the closed position could do so, but those requiring the bridge to be open could not until today.

Emergency work began on Tuesday to lift the bridge into a fully-open position to allow marine traffic to pass through, as is legally required by law.

The transportation department is actively working to design a permanent repair as quickly as possible. The bridge will remain in the full-open position to allow all marine traffic to pass through until emergency repairs are complete. The repairs are expected to take several months.

A crane holds the north leaf of the Route 71 bridge over the Shark River, between Belmar (right) and Avon-By-The- Sea, in an open position Tuesday, March 12, 2024. The bridge was stuck in the closed position, blocking boat access to the ocean.

But that means the bridge will now be closed to vehicles. The following detours of vehicular traffic began on Tuesday and remain in place until the repairs are completed:

Motorists on northbound Route 71 from Belmar to Avon by the Sea will be directed to turn left onto Eighth Avenue, then right on Route 35 and over the Route 35/Shark River Bridge;

Motorists on southbound Route 71 from Avon by the Sea to Belmar will be directed to turn right onto Sylvania AVenue and stay right onto the ramp for southbound Route 35 and over the Route 35/Shark River Bridge into Belmar.

A crane holds the north leaf of the Route 71 bridge over the Shark River, in this view north along Main Street in Belmar Tuesday, March 12, 2024. The bridge was stuck in the closed position, blocking boat access to the ocean.

Kathleen Hopkins, a reporter in New Jersey since 1985, covers crime, court cases, legal issues and just about every major murder trial to hit Monmouth and Ocean counties. Contact her at khopkins@app.com.