POLL: Should 537 Extend Through Fort Monmouth into Oceanport?
The county engineer hopes the move will decrease traffic.
With the news earlier this month that the county wants to extent Route 537 across Route 35 in Eatontown and through the Fort Monmouth property might seem to some an opportunity to squeeze lemondade out of the closing of the Army base.
Others might see it as an opening of a floodgate of traffic into town.
Tthe road would run from the Avenue of Memories at the main gate of Fort Monmouth on the Eatontown side, all the way to main entrance on the Oceanport side on Oceanport Avenue."
Monmouth County Engineer Joe Ettore recently explained the plan to the Eatontown Council and said the project would help alleviate congestion in the area.
Peter Koenig
2:42 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Willing to listen to "why not," but it seems logical. Since the Fort will be developed, there must be a road along this route: better a county road than one maintained at local municipal cost. Declaring it a county road doesn't mean it will generate more traffic. Traffic originating east of the Fort would likely go to/from whatever is built on the Fort property, rather than through into Oceanport. There'd be little traffic originating west of the Fort, and probably no "new" traffic." Existing traffic originating westerly would have a shorter trip to/from both the redeveloped Fort and to/from Eatontown/Route 35 businesses, which seems less disruptive.
Bob English
4:37 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Seems like there would be a lot of upsides for everyone in the area to make this a County Rd. including the County being responsible for the road and not the local municipalities.
Ed Fitterer
12:26 pm on Tuesday, September 18, 2012
The only other difference I see is that the County (and not the Boro) would control the speed limit. But that is something I would hope the Boro could negotiate control over from the County if the County is to ultimately take control of the road.
Glenn
6:51 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
need a parkway exit onto 537 too.
Rob
11:11 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
The Fort WILL be developed and a main entry into it is just about already there as configured with an eventual widening.
Brian Walter
7:17 am on Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Floodgate of traffic? Really? Where is all this traffic coming from and where is it going? Going into Oceanport traffic goes through town to Broad St. into Oceanport. So, this should ease some congestion at the 35/71 intersection (and move it to the TintonAve/35 intersection). Going from Oceanport outward, most are using Wykoff Rd to get to Mall and Parkway or Sycamore Ave to get to Redbank area. I am not thinking this will be a Floodgate.
Kathryn Hanna
7:48 am on Tuesday, September 18, 2012
When "The Fort" was open (prior to 9-11) we cut through there all the time. All you had to do was slow down at the entrance guard house and occasionally show your driver's license. It was a great "shortcut" when we were heading over to Little Silver from Tinton Falls......I for one would be happy to see that route open again and maintained as a county road. Seems like a Win-Win to all.
Pat Ellson
10:09 am on Tuesday, September 18, 2012
I agree! We used to cut through the fort all the time. It made the route easier and faster. Living on South St. in Eatontown, I would like to see a more direct route to 537 from the parkway to avoid the traffic coming down our street from Grant. However, making it a county road will make it as smooth and well managed as Hwy 34 going north? I hope not....
Peter Koenig
12:46 pm on Tuesday, September 18, 2012
I think Route 34 is a State highway - which doesn't make it any smoother.
Betty Beach
10:23 am on Wednesday, September 19, 2012
how many of you 'yes' voters are gonna be pizzed because the speed limit on the new segment of rt 537 remains 15 mph because of the curves in the road? so straighten the road, you say! then you will be complaining because you had to pay for it thru your taxes and because it took longer to complete than you thought it should! how much do you think the new county motor pool extravaganza is gonna cost you? so many monmouth county residents railed at the spending of harry larrison and tom powers but they are silent on the spending of john tobias, 'the other freeholder' who manages engineering and public works WITHOUT AN ENGIINEERING DEGREE! and who use to be a purchasing clerk for the garden state parkway!
Itchy Foot Moe
7:17 pm on Wednesday, September 19, 2012
The speed limit through the Fort was 25 MPH, not 15. And that was not due to the way the roads were constructed, after there were no longer any troops on post marching in formations it was mainly to give the PMO a purpose in life to pull people over doing 26 MPH. (That is when they weren't staking out the speed trap in a private property parking lot on Maxwell road outside of the Fort's boundaries to do the same.)
Most of the stretch between 35 and Oceanport is pretty straight btw.
Bernard Gurman
4:13 pm on Wednesday, September 19, 2012
C'mon people. Fort Monmouth personnel, both military and civilian, used it all the time to go to or from the West gate to the East Gate. The road does not have to be straightened or widened. So you will not be able to drive at 40 MPH. It shortens the travel if you are going east to Long Branch or the beach, of to Little Silver, Rumson, or Seabright. For those going West on 537 from the track or Long Branch, it's the obvious way to go. I'm all for it.