Improvements complete at Aberdeen intersection MIGUEL JUAREZ staff A new left-turn lane was installed at the intersection of Gerard Avenue and Route 516 recently. The county announced the completed improvements at a special press conference held on-site Jan. 25. ABERDEEN - The county has completed work on the intersection of Gerard Avenue and Lower Main Street/County Route 516. The project has been under construction since February. On Jan. 25, the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, along with local officials, gathered at the site, announcing their satisfaction with the finished work. "It's a very heavily traveled road," said William Heine, public information officer for Monmouth County. "[Freeholder Robert Clifton] told me that he just avoided that area because it was a very difficult area to navigate. The way it's laid out, when you're coming off Gerard to make a left on to 516, it's almost like you're darting into traffic." "It's just a lot safer now," Heine added. "People can take that route without taking their lives into their hands." Aberdeen Aberdeen Councilwoman Wilhelmina Gumbs agreed. "Before it was very difficult to make a left-hand turn onto Lower Main Street," Gumbs said in a press release. "Now, motorists wishing to turn left onto Lower Main Street will not have to take chances darting in between oncoming traffic." In addition to the new left turn lane from Gerard Avenue onto Lower Main Street, a new traffic light was installed, Gerard Avenue was widened and the curb and sidewalks in the area were restored. Also, a new access driveway to a building owned by the Garden State Parkway was completed on the north side of the intersection. This new driveway will replace the old one on Washington Avenue, which is scheduled to be vacated, according to the county. The project cost $406,429 and was jointly funded by the Garden State Parkway, the county and Aberdeen. The work was performed by Green Construction Inc., South River. - Karen Bowes