Borough Looking To Add Traffic Light at Corner of Locust Avenue and Parker Road

Residents of West Long Branch have been complaining about the intersection of Locust Avenue and Parker Road for many years, and a solution may soon be in sight.

Representatives from Monmouth County Engineering came before the West Long Branch Council on Wednesday night and presented an idea to add a traffic signal and turn lanes to the busy intersection.

Principal Engineer Kevin Nugent said the intersection gets busy because of many reasons including the fact that it is a "feeder and alternative roads to Routes 71, 35 and 36."

"It can become a very busy intersection," Nugent said.

Nugent went over three options for calming traffic at the site.

The first included adding a signal to the intersection and modifying access to the West Long Branch Community Center which lies to the north of the area.

The second option included adding a right turn lane on Parker Road and a traffic signal, and the third option included adding a traffic signal, a right turn lane on Parker Road and a left turn lane on Locust Avenue.

"It would serve the borough well in the future with alternative three," Nugent said. "It has the best long-term value."

He said he has met with the West Long Branch Public Schools Board of Education and representatives from the community center, and will meet with them again to discuss the project.

The project would require the county to buy land from the school in order to create the right turn lane on Parker Road, because Frank Antonides owns property at that spot.

It would also require people to be able to enter and exit the community center at the traffic signal. Currently, drivers can only enter the community center at that area.

If the project is undertaken, it could possibly begin after the 2012 West Long Branch Public School year and would take between 60 and 90 days to complete.

The idea would be to have the traffic light and turn lanes installed before the 2012-13 school year begins.

The council will discuss the possibility of adding the signal again at a future meeting, but no specific date has been set.