Changes to Memorial Drive through several towns are being proposed by the county.
By GILLIAN DESTEFANO
Monmouth County officials unveiled plans this week for safety improvements, which include a road diet, to Memorial Drive between Routes 33 and 35.
The plan includes the addition of two traffic lights, road diets to enhance pedestrian safety, and upgrades to traffic signal equipment. The four-lane roadway would be reduced to three lanes.
The project is is being advanced by Monmouth County, as the project sponsor, utilizing Federal Aid funding with agency oversight from North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in accordance with the Federal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and in compliance with NJTPA’s Local Safety Program to provide engineer design and construction.
Planned upgrades include two new traffic signals, a road diet, upgraded traffic signals, and improvements to curbs, sidewalks, pavement, and crosswalks. Memorial Drive , which passes through Bradley Beach, Neptune, Neptune City, and Avon, Sea, is a four-lane urban major collector with speed limits ranging from 45 mph to 30 mph.
Safety concerns stem from the road’s width, high speeds, and limited pedestrian access. Between 2020 and 2023, 134 crashes were recorded along this stretch, including 45 injury crashes but no fatalities. The most common crash types were right-angle/left-turn collisions
High-crash clusters were identified at Fourth and Seventh Avenues Neptune City.
Projects like these require a lengthy approval process for federal funding, Christine Mattman, NJTPA project manager explained. The preliminary engineering phase began in 2022, followed by the Categorical Exclusion Document Review and Approval, which runs from now through 2025.The final design phase is expected to take place from 2026 to 2027, with construction scheduled to begin in 2027.
Paul Nowicki, Bradley Beach raised concerns about right turns at Evergreen Avenue, where train tracks complicate traffic flow.
“The plan does not accommodate the ability for a right-turn lane on Memorial Drive,” he stated.
Officials emphasized that public input will help refine the project before finalization.
With an average daily traffic volume of 16,500 to 18,800 vehicles, Memorial Drive’s improvements will address long-standing safety issues while balancing traffic efficiency and pedestrian mobility, officials said.
One resident said she was happy that there will be a light at Fourth Avenue and Memorial Drive. Another resident recommended eliminating the bike lanes.
However, County Commissioner Director and NJTPA Board Member Thomas Arnone emphasized their importance.
“Bike lanes are being highly, highly regarded as a need not only in the county, but in the state of New Jersey,” he said. “There might be a percentage here that doesn’t believe in the bike lanes. But we have to be realistic. People do ride bikes.”
“The single most expensive thing is putting in a new traffic signal. The average cost of a traffic light is five to $600,000.” Mattman said. “This doesn’t just include the light, but also the construction and preparation.”
Arnone concluded, “When the project is done, it will be done correctly.”
