COLTS NECK – Monmouth County has completed a project to improve safety and traffic flow at the intersection of Crine, Dutch Lane and Heulitt roads in Colts Neck.
Crine Road is designated as Monmouth County Route 4 and Dutch Lane Road is designated as Monmouth County Route 46, according to a press release from the county.
“I am pleased the roundabout improvements have made this intersection less dangerous to motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians,” Freeholder Lillian Burry said. “The geometry of the three roads created a design challenge for our engineering team, but they prevailed by constructing a roundabout at the intersection that is in keeping with the character of the neighborhood and the township.”
A roundabout is a circular intersection where drivers travel counterclockwise around a center island. There are no traffic signals or stop signs in a roundabout. Drivers yield at entry to traffic in the roundabout, then enter the intersection and exit at their desired street. The roundabout is designed to accommodate vehicles of all sizes, including emergency vehicles, buses, and truck and trailer combinations, according to the press release.
“I am reminded this project has been a long time in the making,” Burry said. “When this intersection study began in 2008, I asked the county engineer to look at what improvements could be made and to keep in mind that any changes must meet the design objectives of a designated scenic road. I am pleased these goals have been achieved.”
In response to Burry’s request and those of Colts Neck officials, Monmouth County engineers studied the traffic patterns and alignment of Crine Road, where it intersects Dutch Lane Road and Heulitt Road, to see what could be done to improve safety at the intersection which had a history of automobile accidents, some of which were very serious because of the travel speeds along these roads, according to the press release.
A main feature of the modern roundabout is a raised central island. The circular shape is designed to control the direction of traffic, create awareness of the changing road pattern and reduce speeds to 15 to 20 mph. It also reduces the likelihood of right angle or head-on collisions.
The Federal Highway Administration, Office of Safety guidelines recommend a large focal feature on the central island that serves to increase driver awareness, causes traffic to slow and prohibits traffic from driving straight through the central island.
A unique element of the Colts Neck roundabout is the feature on the center island: a statue of horse, a colt, was installed as the historic symbol of the township, according to the press release.
In addition to the central island, the roundabout’s other features are triangular splitter islands designed to slow and direct traffic. The islands also provide a refuge for pedestrians. This means pedestrians can choose to cross one direction of traffic at a time and have a safe place to wait before crossing another direction of traffic.
Crine Road was identified as a scenic road in the Monmouth County Scenic Roadway Plan which was adopted by the county Planning Board in 2001.
