def #145 07/29/09
JAIL EXPANSION TAKES SHAPE
TOMS RIVER – A 140,000-square-foot- addition to the Ocean County Jail in the downtown area is taking shape, as
prefabricated building components are being brought to the construction site and assembled.
“The work is moving along smoothly,” said Ocean County Freeholder John P. Kelly, who serves as Director of Law and
Public Safety.
Prior to the building components arriving, a 315-foot crane was erected at the work site on Courthouse Lane, here,
during the week of July 13. The crane is being used for the installation of the building components, which will include
the new jail cells. The crane will remain on site until all the prefabricated parts are installed, which is expected to
continue into December.
“This construction is not expected to disrupt the work that goes on in the Justice Complex, which also houses courtrooms,
the Sheriff’s Department and other offices,” Kelly said. “The construction of the jail expansion is relatively
self-contained.”
However, Kelly noted that the delivery of the prefabricated cells might have an affect on traffic in the downtown area.
Kelly noted the county has been closely working with officials from Toms River Township and the Toms River Business
Improvement District to make sure those most effected are informed of what will occur during this construction phase.
Over the next few months precast building components will be trucked into the downtown area. About seven to 10 deliveries
are expected daily from July through November. During the delivery and installation phase, Courthouse Lane will be
closed and used as a primary access area for the precast deliveries.
The contractor has installed a fence and signs along the Courthouse Lane sidewalk and access to the areas will be for
pedestrians only. There will be no motor vehicle traffic from the corner of Courthouse Lane and Washington Street to the
corner of Courthouse Lane and Sheriff Street during the workday. Parking at Courthouse Lane will not be accessible. The
alley between 204 and 206 Courthouse Lane will not be accessible during the day.
“Safety is a priority for this Board,” Kelly said. “It’s important we take all the appropriate measures to make sure
those citizens using downtown Toms River are not inconvenienced but more importantly not put into harm’s way during this
project.”
In 2008, the county awarded a contract to New Enterprise Stone and Lime Company, Inc. of Pennsylvania in the amount of
$15,150,000, for the housing units that will be delivered over the next few months.
By pre-ordering the units the county assured having them available when they need to be installed and saved
money for ordering them early.
Work on the addition to the Ocean County Jail on Hooper Avenue, here, got underway in late 2008.
To accommodate the work the county had to reduce some of the parking in the area of the Ocean County Justice Complex.
Visitors however are encouraged to use the Ocean County parking garage, located on Madison and Hadley avenues just a
short distance from the Justice Complex. Visitors parking in the garage can access the Justice Complex by using the
overhead walkway across Hooper Avenue. The jail is located on the fourth and fifth floors of the Justice Complex.
Because the new jail cells are prefabricated units, areas of downtown Toms River will be used for brief periods as
staging areas until all the units have been installed into the addition.
Once the prefabricated cells are installed the addition will look complete but all the interior work will then get
started.
The contractor doing the jail expansion is Patock Construction Co., Tinton Falls at a cost of $36,690,000.
The county is adding space for an additional 400 beds, which would increase the jail capacity to 680 beds.
The proposed expansion includes the construction of new space at the rear of the Justice Complex and a two-story
addition on the south side of the existing building.
