By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
MANALAPAN – Residents who live in the area of Sweetmans Lane and Woodward Road are concerned about ongoing issues related to an increase in traffic, large trucks on local roads and motorists who fail to obey the speed limit.
Several people addressed the Township Committee on the topic during the governing body’s Sept. 21 meeting.
Two speakers, Ray Kalainikas and Deborah Smarth, offered comments on the issue at a previous meeting. They repeated their concerns on Sept. 21 and were joined by two of their neighbors.
Robert O’Brien of Woodward Road said he has been a resident for nine years and has seen the situation on the street deteriorate over time. Specifically, he said the stretch of Woodward Road between Lamb Lane and Sweetmans Lane is the issue.
“I witness speeding and recklessness” on Woodward Road, O’Brien said. “I commend the police for trying to keep the speeders in check, but it seems everybody is good when the police are there.”
O’Brien said that between his property and one neighbor’s property, they have had 17 mailboxes destroyed in motor vehicle accidents on Woodward Road. He estimated that 1,000 or more cars travel the road each day.
Committeeman Jack McNaboe said he would accept O’Brien’s invitation to come to Woodward Road and observe the motor vehicle issues firsthand.
Alora Meisel of Darlington Drive acknowledged that municipal officials lowered the speed limit on Woodward Road to 25 mph several years ago.
Meisel said parking is allowed on Woodward Road and she said that situation leads some drivers to go around parked cars in excess of 25 mph. She said that can create a dangerous situation for a driver coming in the opposite direction who then faces someone speeding toward them on the wrong side of the street.
Meisel said right turns and left turns from Darlington Drive to Woodward Road have become more difficult to make in recent years due to an increase in volume.
Kalainikas, of Sweetmans Lane, said when a new bridge was constructed on Sweetmans Lane near the Millhurst Mills home improvement center several years ago, the weight limit on the bridge was increased from 10 tons to 40 tons. He said the change in the weight limit on the bridge has led to larger trucks using Sweetmans Lane.
Sweetmans Lane is Monmouth County Route 1 and is considered an arterial county road, according to municipal officials.
Smarth, of Sweetmans Lane, said residents of the area “will make it a point to go to the freeholders” to seek assistance. She thanked the committee members for their efforts over the years to address motor vehicle issues in this area of Manalapan.
The residents expressed concern that additional vehicles will travel on Sweetmans Lane and Woodward Road in the near future when the Sportika sports training center opens on Woodward Road on the north side of Route 33.
Mayor Mary Ann Musich said police will continue to monitor the area and enforce the speed limit. She said consideration may be given to the residents’ suggestion to install speed humps on Woodward Road as a traffic calming device.
No decision regarding the installation of speed humps has been made by the committee members.
