For years, many New Jersey veterans in need of care have faced hours long road trips to the clinic in East Orange or lengthy wait times in brick.

This week, the state expanded their access to care.

Opening a brand new VA clinic in Toms River.

It's twice the size of the location in Brick, which shut down in October.

And it can handle expanded offerings like women's care, mental health counseling, physical therapy and more.

Ted Goldberg was at the ribbon cutting ceremony and spoke to veterans and lawmakers about how the new location will enhance the care for the men and women who put their lives on the line.

When the new VA clinic in Toms River has been open for less than a month, but it's already cut down on serious commute times for many veterans seeking health care.

I can't tell you how much I heard about people having to drive hours and hours just to get basic care.

It's ridiculous.

Before, veterans would have to travel up to East Orange, so they'd have to get in a shuttle.

It was an all day adventure.

John O'Connell and Bill Graves are part of the Blind Veterans Association.

And they're excited to see the possibilities of the brand new VA building with twice the capacity of the old VA in Brick Township.

Most veterans who are blind or a lot of them sit home all day long because they don't think they can maneuver.

John and I go everywhere we want to go because we're learning how to operate the equipment that the VA has.

But they haven't had a facility here so they can learn.

O'Connell and Graves give the VA a lot of credit for their high tech canes and the training to know how to use them in places like Midtown Manhattan.

They hope the new VA can empower veterans like them.

This came it was crowded.

I mean, it was so crowded you couldn't move.

Well, as we were walking down the street like this, people opened up just like the river.

I thought I was an expert on the cane.

I went for additional training on train platforms.

I found out I was an idiot and I was going to fall off the train platform because I was approaching it at an angle and it wouldn't really work.

And that's not a good thing.

The new VA facility is about 68,000 square feet and has enough parking spots for nearly 500 vehicles.

Lack of parking was a fairly common complaint at the old brick location.

This place also has a wider variety of services for our nation's veterans.

We're offering primary care, mental health, a number of specialties, including infusion therapy.

By the way, if you need chemotherapy, God forbid, you get it right here in Toms River.

Sheriff Eleanor Hall is the VA's undersecretary of health for two more months, and he also grew up in Atlantic County.

Love, New Jersey, served as health commissioner, grew up here, went to high school here.

The 60,000 veterans, most importantly in Monmouth and Ocean County, can now benefit from this asset for generations to come.

This VA will have more offerings than its predecessor, including primary health care, physical therapy and more services for women veterans.

The military is filled with very, very capable and strong women who need care.

And of course, we do now have a very important part of that right here at the Toms River Clinic.

As Congressman Chris Smith reminded the crowd.

Getting a new facility has been a long time coming.

I got a bill passed in 1986, again in 87, again in 1988, passed the House with over to the Senate and went nowhere.

After the laughter died down, New Jersey's congressman continued to praise the new clinic, including Senator elect Andy Kim.

My family owes a debt of gratitude to our service members and our veterans that we can never be paid to be able to have this chance.

Where I now can raise a seven year old and a nine year old that I live in a country without me as a son of Korean immigrants, you know, step up and be the very first Korean American ever in the US Senate in the history of America.

There are American young men and women standing on the front lines, putting their lives in danger.

They and their families should never have to worry about what happens when they finish their service and come home.

On Monday, the VA also hosted a clinic for veterans affected by burn pits and toxins.

Only recently were they covered by VA benefits.

After the Pact Act was signed into law two years ago.

As resources continue to grow for veterans near the Jersey Shore in Toms River, I'm Ted Goldberg.

NJ Spotlight News.