County: Branch Avenue Traffic Lights Temporary

The traffic lights that will be installed on Branch Avenue during the Seven Bridges Road closure will be temporary, Monmouth County Engineer Joseph Ettore insisted. However, if Little Silver residents observe the lights are effective safety measures, the town may want to explore whether or not permanent lights are needed.

Approximately 25 residents attended the Little Silver Borough Council meeting on Monday, May 7 to voice concerns regarding the county’s planned traffic detour of Seven Bridges Road summer. Ettore was on hand to describe the bridge replacement project and answer residents’ questions.

A section of Seven Bridges Road will close for six months beginning in mid-July to accommodate the replacement of a bridge near over Little Silver Creek. Temporary traffic lights will be installed at the intersections of Branch Avenue and Rumson Road, and Branch Avenue and White Road.

“It’s clearly our expectation and it's a contractual requirement in the bridge project to have it as a temporary traffic signal. That’s the current plan. Obviously the decision remains that of the Little Silver public and your governing body as to whether or not there is a subsequent plan that would modify the existing traffic signals or install a future traffic signal,” Ettore said. “My own personal opinion as a professional is that a traffic signal was needed at Rumson and Branch 20 years ago and it is needed today.  That’s not to say that this is that project—this is not that project. Until we have a consensus with Little Silver, the board of freeholders has decided that we are not going to be putting up that [permanent] traffic signal.“

Mayor Robert C. Neff Jr. said the current Borough Council has not had any discussions about considering placing signals at either intersection when the bridge replacement has finished.

“I can tell everybody that there has been no discussion among the council either way about making them permanent or not making them permanent,” Neff said.

Joe Patsco, a Rumson Road resident, said he was concerned permanent traffic signals could potentially draw more traffic to Branch Avenue.

“I think the concern is that you put a traffic signal up and then more people come and then before long it’s a four-lane highway because more people want to cut-through this town. Do we want to create a main part of our town as a cut-though? Because that’s what it will become,” Patsco said.

However, Capt. Gary LaBruno, who oversees traffic and public safety matters for the Little Silver Police Department, said Branch Avenue was already funneling a heavy amount of traffic in the area.

“It’s a volume issue. I’d be shocked if there are not 40,000 cars on Branch Avenue every week already. The reality of it is that it’s already a cut through. Those traffic lights are not going to make more traffic come though. Highway 35 is a parking lot and Branch Avenue runs parallel to 35, so they already come,” LaBruno said. “It’s not going to become four lanes on Branch Avenue because of traffic lights. It’s going to make it safer to travel.”

According to Little Silver police records, the intersection of Branch Avenue and White Road has 13 accidents in 2010, 17 in 2011, and four recorded thus far in 2012; Branch Avenue and Rumson Road had nine accidents recorded in 2010, 12 in 2011, and two thus far in 2012.

LaBruno said historically installing traffic lights at problematic Little Silver intersections has reduced accidents in those intersections, and the police department was hopeful for similar results with the installation of temporary lights. Nevertheless, LaBruno emphasized the borough was far from considering permanent traffic signals at the intersections.

“We’re not looking at it as a study. We’re hoping it decreases the number of accidents. We could be wrong—it could increase the number of accidents, in which case they don’t work. Historically, any lights that have been put up in town have decreased the number of accidents and that just makes it safer travel for everyone going through.” LaBruno said.