The following is an ‘Ask The Chief’ question submitted to TLS, and the Chief’s response. Email your questions for the Chief to [email protected].
Question:
Dear Honorable Chief,
Thanks for this wonderful forum that gives our resident a voice to view their concerns,
As a long time Lakewood resident and seeing how traffic has become nightmare and is the number 1 complaint to most of the questions on the forum, what can be done to remove the gate barrier on 7TH street between Clifton and Lexington Ave? I understand during loading and picking up the public school kids for safety reasons it’s closed, but why during the rest of day can’t it be open? If you look at Yeshiva Ktana on Second Street, they have a crossing guard for the recesses break to cross the kids.
Thanks! Eli,
The Chief’s Response:
Eli,
The reason being that the students have to cross 7th street to go to the playground for gym, recess and in the event of a fire drill they have to cross 7th street and this has been a practice asked for by the Board of Education on behalf of the safety of the students during school hours. It’s not practical to have a crossing guard stationed there all day to cross the children only at arrival and dismissal.
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Have a question for the Chief? Email it to [email protected]
Maybe there can be some way for the students to cross safely (for example a raised walkway)? 7th street is really the longest through street between County Line Rd and Rt. 88, and it really does not make sense that drivers on 7th do not have the right of way. If there would be lights all the way from Park Ave to Forest Ave, it would help smooth traffic at busy times, when there are many drivers that must use either 7th or County Line at least part of the way.
Hold it. Yeshiva ketana also has its playground across the street and the DO have a crossing guard there throughout the day to get the children safely across.
Although barriers on 7th street has been the status quo, this needs to be reevaluated based on more current traffic needs.