By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
MANALAPAN – Police are soon expected to begin gathering information related to the volume of traffic on Woodward Road and the speed at which vehicles are traveling.
Mayor Mary Ann Musich announced at the Township Committee’s Oct. 5 meeting that the Manalapan Police Department will put speed and volume checks in place on Woodward Road. The mayor said it will take several weeks to compile the data.
The mayor’s announcement followed concerns that residents expressed during recent committee meetings about the traffic situation on Woodward Road.
Woodward Road runs between Sweetmans Lane and Route 33. The area about which residents have expressed the most concern is the stretch between Sweetmans Lane and Lamb Lane, where the speed limit is 25 mph.
Following Musich’s comments, Township Engineer Greg Valesi said that after the data has been compiled, his office will review the results. He said traffic calming devices such as speed humps – which some residents have requested – could be a possibility.
“I am an advocate of (police) enforcement and not of speed humps, but speed humps serve a purpose,” Valesi said. “I want to look at the speed survey data and at that time I will make a recommendation to the committee.”
Resident Ray Kalainikas, who has addressed the issue at several meetings, said he favors the installation of speed humps if that is what residents want.
Kalainikas has also asked municipal officials to review the traffic situation on Sweetmans Lane, specifically an increase in traffic, large trucks and motorists who fail to obey the speed limit.
Resident Robert O’Brien previously 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.
Sweetmans Lane is Monmouth County Route 1 and is considered an arterial county road, according to municipal officials.
In other business at the Oct. 5 meeting, Deputy Mayor Susan Cohen gave an update on the Shop Manalapan 1st program.
She said about 50 businesses in the community participate in the initiative that encourages people to shop locally in order to receive a reduction in property taxes.
Cohen said that since the program debuted in October 2014, about $1.6 million has been spent in the program and approximately 1,300 households have saved $65,700 in property taxes. The amount saved in property taxes is related to the amount spent at participating businesses.
Cohen said that in addition to property owners, Shop Manalapan 1st is open to renters and to individuals who work in Manalapan. Information is available at mtnj.org
