The new traffic patterns in Downtown Lakewood, which would make part of 1st Street one way and other parts two ways, are waiting for the approval of the D.O.T., Township Engineer Todd Day tells TLS. The new traffic patterns – geared to ease the traffic congestion on Clifton Avenue – are part of a massive reorganization of the downtown roads, which require the approval of the State, the Township and the N.J. Transit.
Some of the new – significant – patterns will include;
1) Making 1st Street between Clifton Avenue and Lexington Avenue a one way road east bound. It is currently west bound.
2) Making 1st Street between Clifton Avenue and Route 9, a two way street.
3) Turning lanes from Route 9 beginning at Main Street up until 14th Street.
4) No parking on 1st Street across the NJ Transit lot.
5) Lexington Avenue between 1st Street and Main Street, a one way south bound.
Day explained, that a large part of the congestion is caused by the NJ Transit Station of 1st Street, which currently sends all buses to Clifton Avenue. Changing the traffic pattern on 1st Street and on Lexington Avenue, as well as the parking restrictions in the area, will require buses to turn divert right on to 1st Street and then right onto Lexington Avenue, thereby easing the traffic in the downtown area.
The Township has already had the first reading for the changes, which was approved, and a second reading is expected at this year’s final meeting.
The plan was also approved by the NJ Transit.
The D.O.T, is the one remaining agency who has yet to approve the project.
Should the D.O.T. approve it, says Day, the Township would begin the overhaul, weather allowing. TLS.
Typical government making 1st street go eastbound because of the nj transit inconvenience everyone else. Just let nj transit make a rule with the bus driver to go northbound on Lexington until first street make a right and go enter nj transit from first and exit from main street could d
Someone please use there brains.
The traffic congestion is caused by the busses? As a resident of Lakewood for the past 18 years, I can’t recall Clifton Avenue being backed up from 1st Street till 6th Street because of busses.
Mad genius idea!!!! Lets make 1 lane on Route 9 into a turning lane to ease congestion on Clifton! Forget about the fact that Route 9 traffic is horrible too. Lets make it worse and turn it into 1 lane! Genius!
i agree with #2, the problem isn’t the buses, it’s the people living in this town.
all you people who never come downtown don’t suffer with us downtowners. bus traffic is an issue, but busses could make it better.
Correcttion to #1 it was supposed to say make a left on first street.
do these changes have any round-abouts in them? That would be typical of the backwards way these people think! Sounds like it’s turning into Boro Park soon-one way here, one way there…
And what about the busess coming fridays to the shows on forth and clifton??
Don’t need to do anything for the busses. They think they own the road. I can’t count how many times they have turned onto route 9 from First St without regard for the cars on Route 9. Many times the cars have to stop short causing a chain reaction of cars slamming on the brakes. (And they don’t just cut off one lane but two.)
i have a solution that works perfectly for me…I avoid downtown at all costs. There’s nothing there that I need.
this makes no sense i live on the corner of 1st and lexington if they make 1st st and 2nd st 1 way the same way how am supposed 2 leav my house go all the way 2 3rd st plus if lexington is 1 way have 2 go 2 clifton and sit in traffic there 2 get home! y don they ask the residents of the area wat they think!
As a resident of Lakewood for many years the traffic is a nightmare
primarily during the hours when school,playgroup and Yeshiva starts and ends
Another major cause for congestion is when the Strand has a show
and thats usually on Friday.
To blame the busses for our traffic congestion ????
If 1st and 2nd streets are both east bound, how will we be able to get from Lexington to Clifton? It’s impossible to turn from 3rd street left on to Clifton, and now the turn at the corner of Lexington and Main Street will be even worse because no one will be able to turn onto 1st street from Lexington. I’m not sure if anyone really realized how bad the traffic will become. 4th street will be backed up at the light forever.
As a business owner AWAY from downtown, I think this plan is great! It will mean lots more people not wanting to get near the downtown area.I knew how intelligent this was as soon as I saw the plan being worked around the NJ transit ideas. The NJ Transit busses are the LEAST of the problem! I would suggest moving the bus station away. From the area totally if anything.
i hope they send everyone maps so that we can see the change on paper
why don’t they spend another 2500 and move the bus terminal into the Industrial Park where the muster zone used to be, that should ease the problem
this is almost like when the same geniuses made county line one way by rt. 9. there used to be almost no traffic there except when you were in the left lane and someone was turning in front of you. now the traffic is backed up past clifton.
I think they should move the strand from 4th st and the traffic problem will be solved!
I don’t think county line is one way anywhere. And who is paying for this??
Lets get ready for the accident count. Lets just confuse the drivers, some get lost in a circles.
The only good thing about downtown is the strand !!! If people learned how to drive and park the problems would be solved …. get off ur cell phones and drive the car !!! I have lived here 20 years not downtown but as soon as i get in there u gotta watch from all angles people can not drive in downtown lakewood because they are on the phones. and rushing around like idiots !!! PAY ATTENTION AND DRIVE AND WE CAN ALL GET WHERE WE NEED TO GO!!!
Totally agree with #10 and #21. Get off your phones and learn how to drive.