Freehold Borough Parking Project Gets Initial Approval

FREEHOLD, NJ - A parking lot improvement project at the McGackin Triangle Parking Lot in Freehold Borough has secured initial approval from a state House committee, announced Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), who sponsored the project, as well as three other Monmouth County improvement plans.

The Freehold Borough project, which is anticipated to cost nearly $700,000, was approved by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) on Thursday. According to a press release from Smith’s office, the plan would alleviate the limited parking facilities in the historic town, which is seat to the county government. It would also increase the number of parking spaces from 54 to 67 and upgrade the heavily-used borough parking lot while also providing green space and reduced storm water runoff.

Vehicular access to the lot is currently provided from South Street (State Route 79), and pedestrian access is provided from West Main Street.

Parking will serve nearby county government service buildings, offices and small businesses such as restaurants, with ADA-compliant curb ramps and crosswalks to be installed to allow for increased accessibility, the release reads.

Freehold Borough, the local sponsor of the project, is prepared to meet the 20 percent local match. Anticipated to cost $697,145, Smith requested the maximum funding of 80 percent, or $557,716.

“Freehold Borough is the county seat of government, and many who have driven to Freehold know all too well about the limited parking. The parking project would improve access to local shops, eateries and offices,” Smith said.

The plan is part of several prioritized local transportation projects that Smith has included in the INVEST in America Act, a federal surface transportation reauthorization bill. The bill must pass the full House and then be considered in the Senate for full approval.

Smith’s requests led to four Monmouth County projects being added to the transportation bill.

The other projects are:

• The Route 33 Bridge Over the Millstone River Project. Sponsored by New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), the replacement project will "substitute a dangerous structure with a modern, safer span." The current bridge, built in 1926, has been deemed structurally deficient. The estimated cost of the project is $4,550,000, with 80 percent, or $3,640,000, covered by Smith’s request to the House committee.

• The Route 35 Bridge Over the North Branch of Wreck Pond. NJDOT is the main sponsor of the Route 35 Bridge Over the North Branch of Wreck Pond replacement project. The current bridge, which has been deemed structurally deficient and functionally obsolete, was constructed in 1931, and is used by thousands visiting the Jersey Shore. The estimated project cost is $4,665,000, for which Smith successfully sought from the Committee the maximum 80 percent federal share, $3,736,000.

• The Koleda Park Improvement Project. Middletown Township, sponsor of the project, would convert a vacant lot into useful community space. The project includes a driveway for the adjacent elementary school to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety at a nearby intersection. A properly maintained, ADA-compliant parking lot on the site will reduce the need for visitors to park on neighborhood streets, offering better safety for those visiting the area for recreation at nearby recreational sites. Middletown has agreed to meet the 20 percent local sponsor match. Expected to cost $1,000,000, Smith requested the maximum 80 percent of the funding, or $800,000.

“Working with state and local officials, we carefully identified and reviewed these projects to address road safety hazards and ease travel for New Jersey drivers,” Smith said in a statement. “Both bridges would replace old spans that are structurally unsound and should have been replaced years ago. Route 33 and Route 35 are two of the heaviest-traveled state highways in my district and many travelers will continue to use these bridges for many years, making these roadway improvements necessary and reasonable investments.”