Truck Hits Laurel Ave. Bridge In Holmdel; Traffic Backed Up

HOLMDEL, NJ — Yet again, a truck hit the low-hanging Laurel Ave. railroad bridge in Holmdel on Wednesday, backing up traffic in the area this afternoon.

The collision occurred just past 12 p.m.

Earlier this May, we told you that Monmouth County was given $800,000 in federal transit funds, grant money that will be used — not for actual construction work — but to pay for a study to determine what can be done about the Laurel Avenue bridge.

This is where the North Jersey railroad tracks cross over Laurel Avenue, and many trucks have hit the bridge over the years.

"This NJ Transit bridge on Laurel Avenue has a low vertical clearance (12'-5") and routinely gets hit by trucks traveling along County Route 52 (Laurel Avenue). Subsequently, the bridge is in a substandard condition," said Monmouth County Freeholder Director Tom Arnone. "The purpose of this study is to develop and assess various alternatives for this grade-separated railroad crossing and we will be working closely with NJ Transit and NJDOT for potential improvements."

Monmouth County was also given $31 million in federal funding for the replacement of the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge. The entire bridge will be replaced; that work will begin at the end of 2020.