Toms River Barrier Island Re-Entry Starts Friday

Bowing to increasing pressure from home and business owners and tenants who live on the Toms River stretch of the northern barrier island, elected officials and police have crafted the means to give them limited access.

The strategy covers the township's northern beach areas. Ortley Beach, the site of the most extensive road damage, will be included at a later date to be determined.

Phase One begins Friday, November 9 and continues through Tuesday, November 13. Phase Two allows non-permanent residents acess, and Phase Three will enable all residents and contractors onto the island for damage reviews and winterization.

Residents board Toms River school buses at the Bellcrest Plaza on Fischer Boulevard. Entry is limited to two people per residence with positive identification. Everyone taking the journey will have about an hour to gather essentials. Items that can fit in a carry-on suitcase that fits on an average person's lap are permitted.

Police stress that anyone entering their homes to inspect for damage do so at their own risk. No one will be allowed to wander to outlying areas.

There will be two bus runs each day. Registration at Bellcrest Plaza for the first trek begins at 8:30 AM, buses leave an hour later, and the group returns by 11:30 AM.

Group Two, meanwhile, will begin registering at 10:30 AM for a 12 Noon departure, returning by 1:30 PM.

The schedule:

• Friday 11/9: Ocean Beach Unit 1, Ocean Beach Shores, Sunset Manor Shores
• Saturday 11/10: Monterey Beach, Ocean Beach Unit 2, Seacrest Beach
• Sunday 11/11: Ocean Beach Unit 3, Ocean Beach Peninsula (Bayside)
• Monday 11/12: Chadwick Beach, Silver Beach
• Tuesday 11/13: Normandy Shores, Normandy Beach. Chadwick Beach Island is tentatively set for this date, pending bridge inspection and analysis.