Avoid the area traffic is still a mess and backed up 1 to 2 miles in all directions.
Updated Information from Stafford Township Police:
Today, at approximately 10:20 AM, the Stafford Township Police Department received a call for a suspicious bag under the RT. 72 East Causeway Bridge, near Morris Boulevard. Out of an abundance of caution, the bridge was closed in both directions. With the assistance of the New Jersey State Police, the bag was deemed safe, and non-threatening. Afterwards, the bridge traffic was opened in both directions. We would like to thank all of the assisting agencies: NJSP, OCSD, Stafford Fire and EMS, and Ship Bottom Police and Fire.
September 12, 2021
STAFFORD TOWNSHIP, NJ (OCEAN)–Police report that the Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge, Route 72 Causeway Bridges to and from Long Beach Island is closed due to an ongoing investigation.
Sources tell MidJersey.news that there is a suspicious package on one of the bridges.
SHIP BOTTOM, NJ (OCEAN)–A bicyclist was struck on Long Beach Island, and a medevac helicopter was called sometime before 8:30 a.m. Beach Haven First Aid Squad, Ship Bottom Fire Company and Surf City Fire Company and Ship Bottom Police were on scene for the landing zone in the field behind Ethel A. Jacobsen Elementary School. After the helicopter landed the person was transported by ground to the local hospital.
SHIP BOTTOM, NJ (OCEAN)–The Long Beach Island Health Department (LBIHD) received the first report of a positive Covid-19 case on July 19th that cited attending teen nights in Beach Haven on Sunday July 11th and Tuesday July 13th. LBIHD was then notified on July 26th of an additional positive teenager who attended a teen night on Sunday, 7/18. LBIHD was again notified on August 2nd of (2) laboratory confirmed positive teens that attended Teen Night on Sunday, 7/25 and (1) positive teen that attended a teen night on Tuesday, 7/27.
We received communication from our local urgent care clinicians over this past weekend citing a significant uptick in testing and positive outcome of teenagers that referenced attending teen nights the week prior. We also received several calls of parents of teenagers testing positive all having recent local teen night club attendance. Based on laboratory confirmed and office reporting as of August 3, (11) positive teens all with a common attendance at teen nights.
The State Health Department has been notified of this community cluster. It can be challenging to identify the full scope of this cluster due to under reporting, cases can be dispersed over the state and region during the height of the summer season. However, we will be actively associating any reported cases to our jurisdiction that share this common element.
If you have attended these venues within the last 14 days and are experiencing Covid-19 symptoms, regardless of immunization status, we would advise testing. The recommended time to seek testing in no sooner than 5 days after an exposure to ensure if transmission and infection from the virus occurred it will be captured.
We would advise both parents and teenagers that events that bring teenagers together in large numbers and social atmospheres pose significant risk of Covid-19 transmission. Unlike more structured and regulated organizations that host youth, teens night often do not require health screening, immunization status, social distance, masking or negative covid-19 tests. The latest immunization coverage updated by CDC on 7/29/21 for those 12-15 yrs of age is 27% and for those 16-24 yrs. of age is 41%. Immunizations are widely available for 12 and older and we strongly encourage receiving the vaccine.
Please feel free to contact our local health Department at 609-492-1212 or the local health department in the respective jurisdiction you reside.
SHIP BOTTOM, NJ (OCEAN)–Governor Phil Murphy, New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, Ship Bottom Mayor William Huelsenbeck, and Stafford Township Mayor Gregory Myhre today marked the beginning of the final phase of the award-winning Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridges project.
“Today, work on the final aspect of the long-term rebuild and rehabilitation of the Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridge will get underway in earnest,” said Governor Murphy. “With new lanes that will be constructed at-grade and drainage and other improvements that will be made underground, the entirety of this project is part-and-parcel of our overall goal of ensuring the safe, modern, and resilient infrastructure that our state needs.”
“The Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridges project is an excellent example of how the Murphy Administration and the New Jersey Department of Transportation deliver projects that improve safety and improve the quality of life in our communities,” NJDOT Commissioner Gutierrez-Scaccetti said. “Today we are marking the beginning of the final contract of this project, but our commitment to this community will continue long after the asphalt is cured and the crews go home.”
“This project was introduced in 1993 and proposed by the Department of Transportation in 2007,” said Ship Bottom Mayor William Huelsenbeck. “It has now become a reality and Ship Bottom, ‘The Gateway of Long Beach Island,’ couldn’t be happier.”
“We appreciate the improvements that the NJDOT has made in Stafford Township over the past several years and we look forward to continuing our mutually beneficial relationship,” said Stafford Township Mayor Gregory Myhre.
“Throughout the past year, we have been reminded of the importance of working together. As we recover and move forward, working together will be paramount to our success,” said Dave Velazquez, President and CEO of Pepco Holdings, which includes Atlantic City Electric. “Today, we are recognizing an incredibly important project that demonstrates how collaboration between the public and private sectors can help us efficiently upgrade New Jersey’s infrastructure, making it more accessible, stronger and resilient in the face of a changing climate and more extreme weather.”
This final construction contract for the Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridges project is designed to improve safety and reduce congestion in Stafford Township at the Marsha Drive/Route 72 intersection and in Ship Bottom on Long Beach Island. In Stafford Township, Marsha Drive will be widened to provide double left turn lanes onto Route 72, and a third lane will be added on Route 72 in both directions near the intersection.
In Ship Bottom, approximately 3,000 feet of Route 72 (locally known as 8th and 9th Streets) and three cross roads (Barnegat Avenue, Central Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard) will be widened. Two-way traffic will be restored along Central Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard. Five traffic signals will be reconstructed, and a new traffic signal will be installed at the intersection of 8th Street and Long Beach Boulevard. In addition, a new storm drainage system and new outfalls will be installed in an effort to reduce frequent flooding along Route 72 and these intersections.
The $312 million Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridges Project was broken up into five contracts and involved the construction of a new bridge parallel to the existing Manahawkin Bay Bridge, the rehabilitation of the existing bridge, and the rehabilitation of three trestle bridges. There have been improvements made to bicycle and pedestrian facilities, as well as environmental mitigation. Construction began in 2013 and is expected to be complete in 2022.
The new bridge carries eastbound traffic, while the rehabilitated Old Causeway Bridge carries the westbound traffic. Environmental mitigation and improvements to Cedar Bonnet Island were completed including wetland creation, mitigation for freshwater wetlands, and a public walking trail.
The project has been recognized by the Federal Highway Association and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials for environmental excellence and for improving the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
For more information about the Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridges project, visit NJDOT’s project-specific website.
SHIP BOTTOM, NJ (OCEAN)–Around 12:40 am a fire broke out at 1815 Long Beach Boulevard a neighboring Ship Bottom firefighter was able to knock down the fire quickly with a home fire extinguisher. Upon arrival of the fire department firefighters made entry and found fire extension into the wall and roof area by the awning. Firefighters used a 1 3/4″ line to wet down the area. The Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating.
SHIP BOTTOM, NJ (OCEAN)–Estimates of 2,500 boats participated in a Trump Boat Parade that was also supporting Law Enforcement Officers and Veterans yesterday.
Boaters are congregated at the mouth of Tom’s River in Barnegat Bay and split into two major groups north bound and south bound.
The northbound parade started at the mouth of Toms River and past the Mantoloking Bridge, F-Cove and Bay Head.
The southbound parade started from the mouth of the Toms River and went past the Manahawkin Bridge all the way down to Beach Haven. A large group of boaters anchored in Ship Bottom after the parade.
Rep Smith joined the Law Enforcement Officers and Veterans Supporters of Trump Boat Parade in Barnegat Bay in Ocean County today in a boat captained by Ocean County GOP chairman Frank Holman. One report estimates that 2,500 boats participated in the show of support.
Some of the many Trump Boat Parade participants in the Ship Bottom area and Manahawkin Bridge
SHIP BOTTOM, NJ (OCEAN)–A summer favorite Joe Pop’s Shore Bar and Restaurant announced via Facebook they are going to close for the rest of 2020 and will return for the 2021 season. Where will we see The Nerds play the rest of the summer and summer closing party Labor Day Weekend?
MidJersey.News 
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