Old Bridge Township, New Jersey

2 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 7 P erfectly situated in Middlesex County, approximately an hour to New York City by car, bus, or train, the Township of Old Bridge, New Jersey is an ideal location for commuters, offering a beautiful setting to enjoy a high quality of life and raise a family. This growing community of 70,000 residents has many protected land areas within its boundaries – preserving the beautiful rural landscape, while still providing residents with urban amenities and a variety of opportunities for recreation, relaxation, and employment. Known as Madison Township from 1869 to 1975, there are different stories about the origins of the name ‘Old Bridge’, depicting two “old bridges” in the community – a topic that has created lively conversation among area historians. Mayor Owen Henry, who has lived in Old Bridge for 62 years, shares, “Old Bridge is a little over 40 square miles. It’s a great place to live and raise a family. It’s become a great place to work in also, as businesses have expanded and grown here in Old Bridge. That’s our goal, to make it a place to live, work, raise a family, and enjoy life. We are in a perfect location in a beautiful, rural setting.” Old Bridge is the closest community on the NJ Transit bus system into New York city, and is the first and last stop on the route, making for a handy commute. Although many residents of the township work in New York City, Mayor Henry reports that this trend is changing, as more people are working from home. He suggests, “I think we’ve become even more attractive. People that live in Old Bridge want to work from home, as opposed to getting on that bus or train in the morning.” With a focus on business attraction, the township uses the tagline, “Think Old Bridge.” Steve Mamakas, Executive Officer of the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, explains the Old Bridge Town A spotlight on business