OCEAN COUNTY – A plan to preserve parts of Route 35 in Ocean County is in progress, with work slated to begin later this year, state officials said.
Over a decade ago, a major construction project began on Route 35 after heavy delays due to Superstorm Sandy. The goal of the project was to alleviate flooding the area was prone to, as well as other goals such as widening certain intersections, aligning lanes, and integrating safety measures for bicyclists and pedestrians.
After Sandy, Route 35 was severely damaged which called for a full roadway reconstruction. The project transformed the state highway by ripping up its old concrete surface and replacing it with a new asphalt roadway.
The state Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is now intending to extend the life of the highway.
“NJDOT has a project in design that will preserve approximately 12.5 miles of pavement on Route 35 in both directions between Island Beach State Park and Delaware Avenue in Point Pleasant Beach,” NJDOT spokesperson Steve Schapiro told Jersey Shore Online.
The project will apply a High-Performance Thin Overlay (HPTO) to extend the useful life of the roadway. This technique to preserve the pavement uses micro-milling to remove a thin layer of existing pavement that may be cracked or fatigued. Afterwards, a new thin layer of high-quality asphalt is applied, which will result in a smoother and safer driving surface
“The application will improve ride quality, skid resistance, and reduce noise, as well extend the lifetime of the pavement,” Schapiro said.
Route 35 begins at the entrance to the Island Beach State Park in Berkeley Township. The preservation project will be rendered in South Seaside Park, Seaside Park, Seaside Heights, Toms River, Lavallette, Brick, Mantoloking, and Bay Head.
According to Schapiro, the project is expected to be awarded in the fall of 2025 and completed in the fall of 2026. The Department will issue a traffic advisory before the project begins.
