Music Festival: What You Need To Know About Parking, Road Closures

Seaside Heights officials released the following information about road closures, parking and other traffic notes within the borough for the duration of the Gentlmen of the Road Stopover Festival this weekend:

Though shuttles and satellite parking areas are being provided, anyone planning to travel to the barrier island from Lavallette south to Island Beach State Park should expect significant travel delays on both Route 37 and Route 35.

Route 37 is expected to bear the brunt of the traffic, and as of midday Thursday police were reporting traffic backing up into the borough onto the Mathis Bridge.

Motorists are urged to drive slowly and exercise caution while driving in the area this weekend due to the volume of people and vehicles expected. More than 30,000 tickets have been sold, according to reports.

Check out the attached maps above as well as the specifics below:

WITHIN SEASIDE HEIGHTS

Ocean Terrace, between Hiering and Sherman avenues, has been closed since Monday to everything but local traffic and event staff/vendors. Traffic flow may be altered or controlled depending on the circumstances.

Blaine Avenue, Sumner Avenue, Webster Avenue, Hamilton Avenue, Franklin Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Dupont Avenue, and Porter Avenue: Closed to public traffic between the Boulevard and Ocean Terrace. These streets will temporarily have two-way traffic, and will remain open for residents of these streets, motel management/guests, and event parking only. Access will be controlled on these streets from the Boulevard with barricades and parking staff.

Grant Avenue between the Boulevard and Ocean Terrace is closed until Monday.

Bay Boulevard, between Blaine and Sampson avenues, and between Hamilton and Porter avenues: On-street parking is reserved for beach camping guests. Traffic on Bay Boulevard will flow one-way in a northerly direction.

GETTING TO THE BARRIER ISLAND

If you’re planning to go to other towns on the barrier island, your best bet may be to go through Brick Township to the Mantoloking Bridge and then south on Route 35. It will be a longer trip by distance, but may ease the traffic headache somewhat.

To get there from south of Brick: Parkway north to exit 90. Off the exit ramp go straight east on Chambersbridge Road. Cross Route 70 and Brick Boulevard; it becomes Old Hooper Avenue here. Turn left onto Mantoloking Road at the next light. Follow it across the bridge and turn right to go south on Route 35.

Alternatively, you can take Hooper Avenue north from Toms River to where it becomes Brick Boulevard. Follow Brick Boulevard until you see the signs for Route 528/Cedar Bridge Road and follow the signs to turn right before the Wawa, then turn right on Cedar Bridge, which becomes Mantoloking Road.

Coming from the north, take Parkway exit 89. Follow the signs for Brick and go east on Cedar Bridge Road (Route 528). Cedar Bridge becomes Mantoloking Road.

If you’re planning to go to Seaside Park or Island Beach State Park, you more than likely will be better off staying the course and dealing with the delays on Route 37, as there will be traffic on Route 35 as well.

PARKING

There will be some parking in downtown Seaside Heights but it will be very limited, officials say. There will be no charge to use metered parking spaces Friday and Saturday.

Free festival parking has been set up at the following locations, with shuttle service:

• Toms River Intermediate High School North, Intermediate Way, off Old Freehold Road
• Toms River High School North, Old Freehold Road
• Toms River High School East, Raider Way, between Coolidge and Dunedin streets just south of Bay Avenue

Additional parking will be provided at Ocean County College, on Hooper Avenue, and the Ocean County Parking Garage at Washington Street and Hadley Avenue, as needed, Toms River Police Department spokesman Ralph Stocco said.

Complimentary shuttles will run beginning at 3 p.m. Friday until 3 a.m. Saturday, and again from 11 a.m. Saturday until 3 a.m. Sunday.

Regular traffic flow and parking in Seaside Heights is expected to resume Monday.