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 Mr. Mayor,
I appreciate all your work in helping the traffic situation in Lakewood
There are two things I don’t comprehend. I understand that before we developed the Route 9 area, we had no way of predicting how it is today. But why don’t we learn our lesson (the hard way) before we develop a street, that it has to be widened and have enough traffic lights etc? Why did we develop prospect Street and now James Street before we widened it?
Also, why do we waste so much money testing an area before putting up a traffic light? First there is an intensive study, and then for a year there is a police officer directing traffic. I think we would come out ahead financially if we just dumped traffic lights all around town with out all the official procedures.
Thank you once again for all your great work.
Response from Mayor Coles:
I wish we could put up lights wherever we felt they are needed. Unfortunately there eyes a state mandated process that must be met before we can install a light.
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Pls answer the question
Put up the lights. This is Lakewood and we do not have to do what the state mandates.
Mr. Mayor, you didn’t answer the question (first part).
it’s time to take down the traffic light at 1st and Clifton. What a blooper.
traffic lights will not solve this mess!! would be a nice patch though.
FYI James street and Prospect streets are county roads therefore Lakewood has no control over them.
The lights should have sensors so at times when there is very little traffic, maybe they should revert to blinking lights, so no one has to sit and wait for a light to change for nothing. This town has more traffic when the Yeshiva starts and ends it’s sessions, when schools start and end and on Shabbos there is hardly any traffic. Lights should work accordingly. And some lights do not give enough time for traffic to go through so one has to wait for several lights when there is a long string of traffic before one can move. Lights also should be timed so you don’t have to start and stop at every corner (like on County Line Rd. – Maybe that’s a county road and that’s why it has all those issues)
We need to go high tech and address the traffic issues on a comprehensive level by investing in computer controlled signals that incorporate sensors and videos to constantly adjust signal timing to real time traffic conditions. Similar systems have been implemented in many urban areas across the globe and they demonstrate significantly improved flow of traffic. While not a total fix it would be a major help in addressing Lakewood traffic.
I’m sure each of us can list dozens of intersections where the timing of the green, turning signal, etc. is inefficient and does not reflect the real time traffic conditions much of the day. This is something concrete that can be implemented, having a real impact. It would have a hefty price tag, but would be a worthwhile investment.
LOL @ D Dovid: Of course Lakewood has to follow state mandates. Where do you go off thinking they don’t ? Please explain. I’ll wait.