New Jersey Avenue Bridge at the OG side. Photo June, 2018. Paul Goldfinger image. Blogfinger.net
Blogfinger photo at the New Jersey Ave. Wesley Lake Bridge, OG side by Paul Goldfinger 2019.
In 2013 we posted a piece about this Bridgegate topic, and we received 50 comments. Click the link to read this Blogfinger post from 2013
Bridgegate 2013 Blogfinger post.
Today (9/25/25) the Coaster reports that the Neptune Committee has decided to end the Wesley Lake gate locking on two bridges at the OG side, but the article is biased, political, lacking in facts and showing preference to the Asburian Kvetchers Society.
BRIDGEGATE RISES AGAIN. NEPTUNERS FOLD FOR NO GOOD REASONS.
PLEASE READ OUR PRIOR POSTS WITH THE LINKS BELOW AND COMMENTS FROM 2023.
And then check our latest editorial (below) about the mash-mash at the Coaster with our review of the truth.
Blogfinger post on this topic:
And another Bridgegate 2019 rally:
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor@Blogfinger.net 2023 version below:
Blogfinger 2019-2023: We all are aware that some folks from A. Park have complained about locking those two Wesley Lake bridge gates every day from midnight to 5 am. Neptune Township Police Department has been satisfied with this crime-preventing procedure and so have most people in Ocean Grove especially those who live near the bridges.
Rumblings about this have appeared in the past, and recently the Coaster made it a front page issue just because some troubled Asbury Councilwoman complained publicly.
Then at the June 24, 2019 Neptune Committee meeting, a handful of Asburians showed up to demand that the gates be removed. Why? What are the damages?
At the milder end of the spectrum are some who find the gates to be visually offensive, especially if they are locked. The gates are locked in order to reduce the numbers of late nighters congregating on both sides. There are no other nefarious reasons.
Some years ago I interviewed the Neptune Police Chief who said that he had tried everything, without success, to reduce crime on both sides of the bridges, and the OG gates with locks at night were successful.
Ocean Grove has its shares of crime, often small-time, but never without an element of fear and concern. The elected Neptune Township government has a responsibility, according to the Township Attorney, Gene Anthony, who said, “The first responsibility of a governing body is to protect the health, safety and general welfare of the residents.” He said this to reinforce the reasons for the gates.
But what other damages are there to justify this bloated complaint? What significant harm do those locked gates inflict?
Yes, they cause some inconvenience for those who get caught in A. Park after midnight, but there are other ways home.
One of the speakers at the public session of the meeting who wants the gates removed was the Chairwoman of the Wesley Lake Commission, a body supposedly devoted to cleaning up the Lake. But Gail Rosewater of Asbury Park and her colleagues have failed at that, so are they now seeking a political cause to fuss over? She ought to do her official job at Wesley Lake and butt out of policing decisions in Ocean Grove.
Another speaker at that public session said that Ocean Grove was guilty of racism, and somehow she managed to attack the Camp Meeting Association in the same breath while mentioning the KKK.
Does Ms. Rosewater want to associate herself with such an ignorant and paranoid colleague? Or is she so imbued with political correctness as to reveal herself to have poor judgement as a public official?
There are other elements to the discussion, such as related to parking, but really Neptune Township should just say, “No!” and end the discussion.
These Asburians came into our House last night to make demands on Neptune Township and they don’t even deserve the time of day.
Remember when we asked their City Council to support our bid for FEMA/Sandy funds? They refused: one of their reasons was the bridges and the other was about the irrelevant Pavilion matter of 2007.
And last year Neptune Mayor Williams went to them for help in dealing with our Asbury-related parking problems, and they told him to “jump in the lake” or “go fly a kite.”
It’s Ocean Grove’s 150th Anniversary. Let’s ignore this worthless “tempest in a teapot” and get on with the celebration.
HOLLYWOOD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: “Fly a Kite.” from the movie The Kite Runner.
