The following is an ‘Ask The Mayor’ question submitted to TLS, and the Mayor’s response. Email your questions for the Mayor to [email protected].
Question:
Dear Honorable Mayor Coles
Just a small vunderbar. Why is it that Park and 7th which is an active intersection just slated to get a stoplight does not have one, however cedar bridge and vine, which wine is a closed street, has a stoplight?
Response from Mayor Coles:
Good morning,
The only reason Vine is still closed is that the light was not ready. Final paving to open it was waiting for this because we did not feel it was safe to open the street onto Cedarbridge without a light.
Thanks
Ray
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Question:
Dear Mr. Mayor,
We are so fortunate to have such a devoted mayor looking after us here in Lakewood and we are all so grateful for all the improvements you’ve made for us.
Being that I frequent the intersections all along Cross st., daily, I see why Cross st. gets backed up behind the traffic lights at James St. It seems that the light at that intersection is allowing the cars to clear out of James st. and Franklin st. With ample time, and unfortunately, the cars waiting on cross. St. Do not get a long enough green to allow the stretch of cars to clear the intersection, thus resulting in another backlog along prospect st. With a long line of cars waiting to turn on to cross st.
Many times there just a few cars turning off of James st. And therefore it does not need a green light as frequently as the light is currently programmed to give.
This has been going on for years and I wonder if perhaps a quick fix would be to significantly lengthen the green light on cross st. Which would automatically shorten the frequency of green lights for James st. And Franklin St.
In addition, another solution would be a sensor on James st. and Franklin st. Which would only actuate a green signal if it detects that there are cars waiting to turn left / go straight.
This is my humble suggestion to alleviate the daily traffic jam on cross st. And prospect st.
Thank you.
Response from Mayor Coles:
Thank you. It is always helpful to get ideas from people who deal with issues every day.
I will ask our engineer to bring your suggestion to the county and see if we can get the timing adjusted.
Thanks
Ray
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Question:
Hi Ray, cedar bridge from Shenandoah all the way to clover has no sidewalks. I know it’s owned by the county but is there a way we can get some sort of temporary sidewalks maybe a tar path all the way? If not can you have the county cut the trees, branches, and grass 15 feet or so for the safety of everyone that works there? People walk back and forth all the time and it’s very unsafe.
Ben.
Response from Mayor Coles:
Good morning,
We discussed this with the county last week. The township will be installing sidewalk along the whole stretch, as soon as the county finalizes their future expansion plans and tells us where the sidewalk can go.
Ray
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Have a question for the Mayor? Send it to [email protected]
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To the cross st question, there are sensors already on James and Franklin and will only turn green if there are cars waiting. That should’ve been the Mayors answer to your direct suggestion. Yes, even if there is one car it will sense it. You may say that’s not fair to the tons of cars on cross but that’s how it is with sensors everywhere. Typically speaking, during traffic time there are many cars waiting too on James.
Other then that it’s not clear what your train of thought is about clearing the intersection. When it’s traffic time there are cars backed up on cross almost to Massachusetts. Prolonging the green won’t “solve” the issue. The prospect st intersection will always be a nightmare at that time of day.
At certain times of the day there are many cars turning from James on to cross street and James St indeed gets backed up itself. I think the reason for the back up on Cross is more because of all the cars turning from Prospect on to Cross st.
It will help for sure! We need to clear out cars on cross! not sit and wait for 1/2 hour
traffic comes from cars having to start and stop
we should do the same thing on the 9, by Central and also James – have an officer there everyday from 9:15-10am clearing out cars
the main artery of town needs to be able to move
ITS FREE! WHY NOT TRY IT??
The big problem with James and Cross is if someone is making a left from Cross on to James no one an go around them so that’s why it backs up.
“we did not feel it was safe to open the street onto Cedarbridge without a light.”
Mr. Mayor, with all due respect, this is hard to believe. All new construction in this town is being done before safety measures are put in to place. Example, the light at Broadway and River Avenue. We never heard anybody say to wait on the project until there’s a light installed.
And there are plenty others as well.