▁bridge . ▁ ▁The ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Department ▁of ▁Transport ation ▁( N J D OT ) ▁had ▁previously ▁taken ▁steps ▁to ▁arrest ▁the ▁fat igue ▁crack ing , ▁including ▁modifying ▁bridge ▁g ird ers ▁and ▁be ams ▁with ▁dr ill ▁stops . ▁ ▁The ▁bridge ▁was ▁listed ▁as ▁being ▁struct ur ally ▁def ic ient ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁sole ▁access ▁point ▁to / from ▁Long ▁Beach ▁Island ▁and ▁a ▁vital ▁coast al ▁ev acu ation ▁route ▁in ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁a ▁h urr icane , ▁the ▁rapidly ▁d eter ior ating ▁condition ▁of ▁the ▁bridge ▁was ▁of ▁serious ▁concern . ▁ ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁N J D OT ▁completed ▁a ▁re h abil itation ▁of ▁the ▁deck ▁surface ▁to ▁extend ▁the ▁life ▁of ▁the ▁existing ▁bridge . ▁This ▁project ▁was ▁completed ▁at ▁a ▁cost ▁of ▁$ 5 . 5 ▁million ▁and ▁fin anced ▁through ▁the ▁American ▁Rec overy ▁and ▁Rein vest ment ▁Act . ▁ ▁Rep lacement ▁span ▁From ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁N J D OT ▁completed ▁reviews , ▁design , ▁and ▁planning ▁for ▁a ▁complete ▁$ 3 5 0 ▁million ▁over ha ul ▁of ▁the ▁bridge ▁to ▁include ▁a ▁second ▁parallel ▁span ▁to ▁be ▁built ▁just ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁existing ▁span . ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁span ▁will ▁include ▁wider ▁shoulders , ▁a ▁bi ke ▁l ane , ▁and ▁a ▁side walk ▁for ▁ped est ri ans