New traffic light coming to WLB

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.West Long Branch – It took nearly seven years of negotiations, engineering reports, resident complaints and political suaveness to finally get Monmouth County to approve a traffic light at the intersection of Locust Avenue and Parker Road.

“This is a major accomplishment for the Borough of West Long Branch,” said Sergeant Brian Kramer, head of the Traffic Safety Unit. The intersection where the new traffic light will be installed is across the street from the borough Community Center and right next to the two public schools. “The traffic congestion during school drop off and pick up causes back-ups and delays in that area and is a safety issue for the students who walk.” Kramer has been trying to fix that intersection for years. “Back in 2007 I took an engineering class at Rutgers University and I used that intersection as my project,” Kramer said. His work was so detailed that when it was completed he sent it to the Monmouth County Highway Division and asked that they look it over.  “Fortunately, Mayor Janet Tucci also saw the need for a traffic light in that area and became a big advocate of the project and spoke to Freeholder John P. Curley. The county realized that a traffic light would indeed cut down on congestion and improve the level of services to the community.” Monmouth County has already started to redesign the intersection and according to Kramer the school district has given up some property on the corner for the new configuration, which will also include a redesigned parking lot for student drop off and pickups. The entrance to the community center will also be redone and the project should be completed by Thanksgiving or Christmas according to Kramer. “Traffic safety issues in West Long Branch always take a high priority for us,” said Lawrence L. Mihlon, Chief of Police. Another big traffic announcement coming out of West Long Branch is that the state is going to make some adjustments to the traffic lights at Highway 36 and Broadway.  “Everyone has been complaining about the traffic on Broadway in the afternoon, how it backs up from Highway 36 all the way to Long Branch,” said Kramer. “Well the State Department of Transportation will be adjusting the timing on that light and making some traffic line clarifications.”  “The culmination of these two projects enhance both vehicle and pedestrian safety in the borough,” added Mihlon.  “Thanks to to timely cooperation of surrounding property owners, we are now able to move forward with a needed traffic light near our elementary school,” said Mayor Janet Tucci.  “Also, because of the diligence of our fine Police Department, proper road striping is going to be done to alleviate ongoing accidents from cars turning left onto Highway 36 from Broadway. These are two important projects that the governing body and I have been pursuing for a long time with both county and state officials. Unfortunately the wheels of government turn slowly.  But, we have finally achieved both of these goals for our residents,” Tucci said.* * * The chief and Kramer also want residents to remember to lock up their cars at night, as several high end vehicles have been stolen in recent days. It seems some people have left the keys and cars unlocked. Times call for tight security no matter where you live.