Tunney Bridge On Route 37 In Toms River Closed Due To Crash, Fuel Spill

by Karen Wall

TOMS RIVER, NJ -- (Updated 10:50 a.m.) A commercial vehicle crash has spilled a significant amount of diesel fuel and oil at the base of the Tunney Bridge, Toms River police said Tuesday morning.

Ralph Stocco, spokesman for the Toms River Police Department, said the eastbound closure will remain in place while the spill is cleaned up, but he did not know how long it would take because of the size of the spill.

The westbound lanes of Route 37 across the bridge are expected to reopen as soon as the wrecker removes the truck, which photos in other media outlets show is sitting on the concrete lane barrier.

Stocco said in addition to Toms River police, the township’s Office of Emergency Management, firefighters and a traffic diversion team from the state Department of Transportation are on site.

(Updated 10:10 a.m.) The Ocean County Sheriff’s Office issued an additional Nixle alert saying the Route 37 bridge between Toms River and Seaside Heights remains closed until further notice due to the earlier crash.

On the traffic site 511nj.org, the report says the crash includes a fluid spill, which several media reports have said is fuel.

Since the end of October, the Mathis Bridge, which carries traffic eastbound into Seaside Heights, has been closed for major construction, including repair and replacement of mechanical and electrical components that operate the moveable lift span. Traffic eastbound has been funneled onto a single lane of the Tunney Bridge, while westbound traffic has had two lanes.

PREVIOUSLY:

The Stanley J. Tunney Bridge into Seaside Heights is closed due to a motor vehicle accident, Toms River officials said.

The Toms River Office of Emergency Management reported the closure via Nixle alert about 8:45 a.m.

No further details were immediately available on the crash.

Check back with the Patch for updates as they become available.

(Screenshot of 511nj.org live traffic camera, looking west on Route 37 at the base of the bridge, shows traffic being forced into a U-Turn to go away from the Tunney Bridge.)