Lacey, Berkeley Trestle Placed, But Already Vandalized: County

LACEY, N.J. — The steel trestle over Cedar Creek in Berkeley and Lacey has been set in place, marking significant progress for the construction progress. However, vandalism and graffiti have already affected the trestle, according to Ocean County Freeholder Director Virginia E. Haines.

"We have reached out to our Sheriff’s Department and requested more security in the area to stop the graffiti and vandalism," Haines said. "Anyone caught vandalizing the new structure or any part of this trail will be subject to fines and arrests.”

The opening date has not been determined, but officials said most of the work will be completed before this summer. The 150-foot long trestle connects Ocean County's Barnegat Branch Trail over the Cedar Creek. It features two 75-foot sections and required precision to place.

The trailers needed to back down the trail with each part, one from the Berkeley side and one on the Lacey side. A crane on each side of Cedar Creek picked up a section and swung it over the creek, where they were connected in the air with 170 high-strength bolts. Assembly and placement took about four hours, Haines said.

Additional work must be completed before it's open to the public. That includes creating a 10-foot-wide stone dust trail on the Lacey side, creating a formal parking lot at Hebrew Park and installing interpretive signage, benches, a railroad hand car display and picnic tables.

The Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders awarded a contract Nov. 7 for the seventh phase of the linear park to Midland Construction, worth $1,066,624. The work also includes construction of 12 parking spaces in a paved lot near South Street.

Ocean County has completed six phases of the trail, which includes seven contiguous miles from Burr Street in Barnegat Township to Lacey Road in Lacey Township. Almost 2.8 miles from Dudley Park at the Cedar Creek in Lacey to Hickory Lane in Berkeley have been completed.

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