Thomas A. Mathis and J. Stanley Tunney Bridges

{{Short description|Pair of bridges in New Jersey}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox bridge

|fetchwikidata=coordinates

|bridge_name= Thomas A. Mathis Bridge
J. Stanley Tunney Bridge

|image= 2013-08-21 11 14 00 View east along New Jersey Route 37 on the Barnegat Bay Bridge at the drawbridge traffic light.jpg

| image_size = 300px

|caption= Eastbound on the Thomas A. Mathis Bridge past the bascule span, with the high-level J. Stanley Tunney Bridge to the left

|official_name= Thomas A. Mathis Bridge (eastbound)
J. Stanley Tunney Bridge (westbound)

|also_known_as=

|carries= 6 lanes of {{jct|state=NJ|NJ|37}}

|crosses= Barnegat Bay with crossing through Pelican Island

|locale= Toms River, New Jersey and Seaside Heights, New Jersey

|maint=

|design= Twin beam bridges; bascule bridge (eastbound)

|mainspan= 170 ft

|length= 4,877.2 ft

|width= 27.9 ft

|clearance=

|below=

|open= May 24, 1950 (Thomas A. Mathis Bridge, eastbound){{cite news |title=Governor Will Sign Bill Naming Bridge for Ocean Leader |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102877804/37-mathis-bridge-may-23-1950/ |access-date=May 30, 2022 |work=The Asbury Park Press |date=May 23, 1950 |pages=1–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102877864/37-mathis-part-2-may-23-1950/ 2]|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}
December 15, 1972 (J. Stanley Tunney Bridge, westbound){{cite news |title=Weather Precludes Bridge Ceremony |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102878126/route-37-bridge-december-16-1972/ |access-date=May 30, 2022 |work=The Asbury Park Press |date=December 16, 1972 |page=2|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}

|closed=

|toll=

}}

The Thomas A. Mathis Bridge and J. Stanley Tunney Bridge are a pair of bridges that span Barnegat Bay in Ocean County, New Jersey, connecting Route 37 in Toms River with Pelican Island and communities along the Jersey Shore on the Barnegat Peninsula. The bridges pass through Toms River and a small piece of Berkeley Township, before ending at Route 35 in Seaside Heights.

The Thomas A. Mathis Bridge was completed in 1950 to replace a narrow wooden bridge that had served as the only connection between the mainland and the shore. It is a bascule bridge that allows ship traffic to pass under the bridge when it is raised.

The J. Stanley Tunney Bridge was completed in 1972 to carry westbound traffic, while the Mathis bridge was dedicated for vehicles traveling eastbound. The Tunney Bridge is a high level girder bridge that was designed to allow tall ships to pass under it without requiring a bridge opening. Although both bridges have three lanes, those on the Tunney Bridge are wider. Because Route 37 is one of a few links to the barrier island beaches, the bridge and the entire highway are routinely jammed with both local and tourist traffic throughout the summer months.