LONG BRANCH – A public information session on the county’s Coastal Evacuation Route Improvement Study will be held at 7 p.m. on Feb. 26 at the Long Branch Higher Education Center, Community Room, at 540 Broadway.
 
The Monmouth County Planning Board is conducting the study to evaluate the transportation routes used for evacuation of the county’s coastal areas during flood and other emergency events.  The study area includes communities located east of the Garden State Parkway.
 
“This is an important study and a good opportunity for the county’s coastal communities to work together on an important shared issue – evacuation planning,” Freeholder Deputy Director John D’Amico said. “It is important that we evaluate and plan now to reduce problems later.”
 
The one-year study will also explore options and opportunities to improve the county’s evacuation network. The process will include evaluating locations where problems have occurred in the past and identifying potential emergency evacuation routes that may already exist. 
 
The information session will consist of a presentation by staff from Jacobs Civil Inc., the project consultant, who will present the initial study alternatives and routes identified, as well as the types of solutions being considered to improve evacuation conditions along the routes. Information session attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions and provide input.
 
The final report, targeted for completion this summer, will contain a series of transportation facility design and operational improvement strategies and intelligent transportation system (ITS) technology strategies to better manage seasonal traffic congestion and emergency evacuation needs.
 
“When complete, the report should provide a significant amount of information that will be useful to the county and to all coastal municipalities,” Freeholder Lillian G. Burry said.
 
The municipalities participating in the study include: Aberdeen, Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Atlantic Highlands, Avon-By-The-Sea, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Brielle, Deal, Eatontown, Fair Haven, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel, Interlaken, Keansburg, Keyport, Lake Como, Little Silver, Loch Arbour, Long Branch, Manasquan, Matawan, Middletown, Monmouth Beach, Neptune, Neptune City, Ocean, Oceanport, Red Bank, Rumson, Sea Bright, Sea Girt, Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury Township, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, Tinton Falls, Union Beach, Wall and West Long Branch.