Thomas A. Mathis and J. Stanley Tunney Bridges

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The Thomas A. Mathis Bridge and J. Stanley Tunney Bridge are a pair of bridges that span Barnegat Bay in Ocean County, New Jersey, connecting Route 37 in Toms River with Pelican Island and communities along the Jersey Shore on the Barnegat Peninsula. The bridges pass through Toms River Township and a small piece of Berkeley Township, before ending at Route 35 in Seaside Heights.

The Thomas A. Mathis Bridge was constructed in 1950 to replace a narrow wooden bridge that had served as the only connection between the mainland and the shore. It is a bascule bridge that allows ship traffic to pass under the bridge when it is raised.

The J. Stanley Tunney Bridge was constructed several years later to carry westbound traffic, while the Mathis bridge was dedicated for vehicles traveling eastbound. The Tunney Bridge was built taller than the Mathis Bridge at the center to avoid halting traffic to allow tall boats to pass underneath.

Although both bridges have three lanes, those on the Tunney Bridge are wider.

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