By Matthew Sockol
Staff Writer
MILLSTONE – The members of the Township Committee are advocating for greater road safety in response to dangerous incidents they say are occurring on a regular basis in the community.
During a May 4 meeting, Committeeman Fiore Masci spoke about speeding and other forms of unsafe driving in Millstone and said he would support an effort to bring public awareness to driving carefully.
Masci revealed that while he was driving on Millstone Road, he was almost hit by a car entering his lane.
“We need to pay attention and I can’t stress it enough,” the committeeman said. “Every single day, you read about another death simply because somebody was not paying attention. I would really like to move forward and anybody interested in helping set up a public awareness campaign, please reach out to the Township Committee. We need to have people slow down.”
Masci mentioned that he was contacted by Committeewoman Nancy Grbelja after the members of the governing body were asked how they could take action on speeding in an online post.
“I have some ideas about an awareness campaign that maybe we could get involved with and maybe get the (Millstone Township School District) involved to see if the kids wants to do some kind of road safety program or contest,” Grbelja said.
Grbelja said she is frequently tailgated while driving at about 6 a.m.
Township Administrator Maria Dellasala said cars have passed her where there is a double yellow line on Stagecoach Road.
Mayor Bob Kinsey said he was nearly involved in a head-on collision at the intersection of Charleston Springs Road and Route 524 when a passing vehicle entered his lane. Kinsey said he believes one factor in his near-collision was that Route 524 has a single line at the intersection, while Charleston Springs Road has a double line.
“There are certain areas in town where we need to continue a double yellow line instead of a single yellow line,” he said.
Grbelja said the painted line on the eastbound side of Route 524 that separates the lane of travel from the shoulder as Route 524 approaches Schoolhouse Road has become faded and is difficult to see in the dark and in rain.
“Having well-marked, defined lines really helps guide people and keep them on the road,” Grbelja said.
She also made note of accidents that occur at the intersection of Route 524 and Stillhouse Road.
“With the combination of people speeding down Route 524 and people being very quick and not coming to a full stop, we wind up losing people and having a lot of accidents there,” Grbelja said. “A light is not going to make a difference because people will go through the light, they go through the stop signs. They are just not paying attention to what the rules of the road are.”
Between April 2-7, three motor vehicle collisions in Millstone were reported by the Millstone Township Fire Company. On April 2, a two-vehicle collision occurred at the intersection of Sweetmans Lane and Stillhouse Road. On April 6, a two-vehicle collision occurred at the intersection of Stagecoach and Stillhouse roads. On April 7, a vehicle struck a utility pole at 455 Stagecoach Road. An individual received hospital care in each incident, but no fatalities were reported.
