A bronze marker stands on the bluff in the borough park southwest of the Sea Bright Bridge. The Rumson Improvement Association put it there in 1957. Its inscription tells of Captain Joshua Huddy, captured by Tories at Colts Neck and taken across the river by boat, who jumped overboard when Colonial forces opened fire and swam, wounded, to the western shore. That shore is Jumping Point, and the 1965 History of Rumson records the marker word for word.
This fall the Huddy Leap Monument is being restored. The bluff has changed hands a few times lately: the park sat out of service during years of bridge construction, the county finished its work, and the borough got the land back.
Rumson's two riverfront parks sit at the foot of its two bridges, and each park has followed its bridge's schedule. West Park and Jumping Point are being rebuilt now because the new Rumson–Sea Bright Bridge is finished. At the other end of town, Victory Park was improved first, and the Oceanic Bridge path planned to end there is still years from construction.
Jumping Point Got Its Land Back
The new Rumson–Sea Bright Bridge opened in summer 2025, the "last summer" of a September 2026 Two River Times report, replacing a 76-year-old span that has since been torn down. West Park and Jumping Point Park flank the western end of that bridge on Rumson Road, one to the north and one to the south. Together they hold about 5.72 acres of open space, 2.85 acres north and 2.87 acres south.
Borough engineer David Marks explained the timing to the Two River Times: "It is the right time because the park was out of commission for a while, we built the bridge, and now it's been turned back over to us. Since most of the contractor's activity within the park is complete, now is the right time for (the borough) to step in."
Some of the bridge work still isn't done. The borough says its park project is separate from the bridge contractor's remaining obligations. Rumson is still working with Monmouth County Engineering on outstanding items for R.E. Pierson, including fencing, handrails and bulkhead railings. On this bluff, the bridge and the park are still finishing their work side by side.
The money came in under expectations. Suburban Consulting Engineers estimated the project at about $670,000. On Aug. 25, 2026, the borough council awarded it to Precise Construction of Woodbury for about $497,000, roughly $175,000 below that estimate. In 2025 the borough had asked for the maximum $500,000 match from the Monmouth County Open Space Grant and received $361,817. Precise has worked in Rumson parks before, including Meadow Ridge, Piping Rock and Victory Park.
What the Rebuild Brings to the Bluff
Marks told the Two River Times the goal is to keep the parks passive, calling Jumping Point a "local, neighborhood, community park." The playground south of the bridge is 25 to 30 years old and will be replaced in a "similar style." The final scope follows the plans shown at a July 1, 2025 public hearing, adjusted for community feedback. According to the borough's project page, it includes:
- New curbing and sidewalk along Ward Avenue
- A new asphalt walkway through the north side of the park
- A seating wall and walkway along the bulkhead
- Brand-new playground equipment
- New landscaping and tree plantings
- New benches, picnic tables, bike racks and a water fountain with a bottle-fill station
- Refurbished bulkhead railing and cleat benches
The Huddy Leap Monument restoration is also part of the work. Here is the full inscription:
HUDDY'S LEAP. On September 1, 1780, Captain Joshua Huddy was captured at Colts Neck by a band of Tories. While being conveyed across the river to what is now Sea Bright, the boat was fired upon by Colonial forces. Although wounded, Captain Huddy escaped by jumping from the boat and swimming to the western shore. Subsequently he was captured by the British and hanged on April 12, 1782, at the Highlands.
Why the Work Is Front-Loaded Into Fall
The borough says construction is expected to start in fall 2026, weather permitting, and that active work areas will be closed to the public. Marks told the Two River Times that "this time of year is critical" because winter weather causes delays. The new playground equipment was due in mid-to-late October. His plan is to get demolition, playground installation, irrigation and plantings done this fall, with the caveat that "some of it might have to float to spring because of the weather." In the worst case, he said, the park would be finished by the start of next summer.
So for the next few months, parts of the bluff may be fenced off at any given time. The playground and plantings are planned for this fall, and the rest could carry over into spring 2027.
Victory Park Was Finished First
The Oceanic Bridge crosses into Rumson at Bingham Avenue, and Victory Park sits southwest of it at West River Road and Lafayette Street. Its upgrades came in steps. The tennis, pickleball and basketball courts were renovated in 2025, with six pickleball courts permanently striped inside the tennis courts. In 2026 the playground reopened with a nautical pirate theme, fully accessible play equipment, swings, and climbing and fitness elements. The borough credits the gift to Rumson residents Justin and Victoria Gmelich. On Flag Day, June 14, 2026, Rumson unveiled a new Memorial Monument in the park.
Jumping Point is the reverse case. Its park had to wait for its new bridge to be finished. Victory Park is finished, and the new bridge that will connect to it hasn't been designed yet.
The Path That Will Land at Victory Park
The design took its biggest step this fall. At a Sept. 29 public session at Middletown Township's town hall, county engineer Joseph M. Ettore said the new Oceanic Bridge will be a fixed span with 65 feet of vertical clearance. As the Two River Times reported, it will replace the current bridge, built in 1939. That clearance matches the Route 36 Highlands–Sea Bright Bridge, so both rivers stay reachable for the same boats.
The deck changes matter most for anyone who walks or bikes across. The current bridge has two six-foot sidewalks. The new one will have a single 14-foot shared-use path with a barrier on the western side and scenic overlooks. Traffic lanes narrow from 12 feet to 11, and the grade gets a bit gentler. On the Rumson side, the bridge keeps its current footprint on Bingham Avenue. The plan is for the path to connect to Victory Park, but the route hasn't been chosen. The presentation laid out three options:
- Option A: a 14-foot path from the bridge at Bingham Avenue to River Road. Existing parking would become angled spaces, five spaces would be lost, and traffic would switch to one-way.
- Option B: a 10-foot path from the bridge to Hunt Street, which connects to Victory Park.
- Option C: a riverfront path from the bridge to Washington Street.
At that point the shared-use path is about 17 feet up, so any of the three routes would need ramps. The borough set the public comment period on the Sept. 29 materials to run through Friday, Oct. 30. A formal meeting report is expected after that. The slides, recording and FAQ are posted on the county's Oceanic Bridge project site.
Two Bridges, Two Timelines
| East end | West end | |
|---|---|---|
| Bridge | New Rumson–Sea Bright span, opened summer 2025 | 1939 Oceanic drawbridge, still in service |
| Park | West Park and Jumping Point, rebuild contract awarded Aug. 25, 2026 | Victory Park, courts renovated 2025, playground reopened 2026 |
| What's next | Most work this fall, finished by start of summer 2027 at the latest | Preliminary engineering through fall 2027, final design expected in 2028 |
The county's September 2026 FAQ says construction on the replacement is at least four years away and its schedule will be set during final design. The existing bridge is expected to stay open while the new one is built, and the county says it intends to keep detours to a minimum.
Meanwhile the 1939 bridge still runs on its seasonal schedule. Under the county's Oceanic Bridge alerts, the drawbridge opens on signal from April 1 through November 30. From December 1 through March 31, boaters need to give 24 hours' notice, and they can request openings at (732) 289-0510. The on-signal season ends with the last day of November.
If your walks start at Bingham Avenue, the Oceanic Bridge will look much the same for years, and Victory Park is already finished. If they start on Rumson Road, Jumping Point should look different before next summer. For more on the eastern crossing, see our piece on where Sea Bright's old bridge ended up. For a wider look at the borough, visit our Rumson neighborhood page.
At the Suzanne Veninata Team, we follow Rumson's riverfront projects the way our neighbors do: one fence line and council meeting at a time. If you're wondering how changes near the bridges might affect your street or your plans, we'd be glad to talk it through. Schedule a Complimentary Consultation whenever you're ready.
