GSP Exit 91 in Brick – new ramps opening up, roadwork winds down
The next stanza in the Ballad of Interchange 91 in Brick Township is about to be written, and the final chorus is in sight.
Entrance ramps to the northbound Garden State Parkway in Brick, from Burnt Tavern Road and Burrsville Road, are scheduled to open this Thursday, August 24. The new traffic signal at the Burrsville ramp goes into operation as well. They're the next steps to a long construction saga that's expected to end on August 31.
At the same time, Ocean County officials said, the existing northbound Parkway ramp on Burnt Tavern Road, and the signal at Burnt Tavern and Dave Reid Roads, are being taken out of service, not to return. The exit ramp to Burrsville Road from the northbound Parkway opens on or about 3 AM on Friday, August 25.
Sound confusing? No worries. Watch for signs on each side of Burrsville Road, and on eastbound Burnt Tavern Road. Westbounders on Burnt Tavern heading for the northbound Parkway are being encouraged to use the newly-opened Lanes Mill Road ramp.
In prepared comments, Ocean County Freeholder and engineering liaison John Kelly said, "On Aug. 30 we expect construction of Lanes Mill Road and Burnt Tavern Road to be completed and the final signal configuration is expected to be activated. Upon completion of this work, Interchange 91 will be in its final configuration. There will be some additional closeout work in the area."
The point of it all is to relieve commuter congestion that worsened over the years since its inception. Exit 91 was limited to entrance ramps for the northbound Parkway, and exit ramps on the southbound side. Now, it's on and off in both directions.
Designers of the new configuration also aim to create easier access to Park-n-Ride lots on either side of the Parkway, and to ease traffic jams about a mile away, at Exit 90 for Chambers Bridge Road.
"This is one of our most far-reaching designs to upgrade a Parkway interchange," Freeholder Joe Vicari said. "We've worked closely with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and Brick Township to redesign this interchange to meet the needs of the region's growing population." The New Jersey Department of Transportation also had a hand in the project.