Politics & Government

Oceanport Asks County to Lower Speed Limit on Branchport Avenue

Recent accident sparks desire to slow drivers on road near school, town urges freeholders to make change.

The current posted speed limit of 35 mph on Monmouth County Route 29 must be reduced, say members of the Oceanport council, who recently passed a resolution to slow drivers to 25 mph on the road, which also serves as a walkway for students attending nearby .

Citing 28 accidents over the past five years which have cursed the curving stretch of Shrewsbury Avenue into Branchport Avenue, a recent crash on Oct. 16 pushed the town to appeal to county officials to put the brakes on drivers there.

"Kids were playing in the yard moments prior to the accident, it could have been a horrific scene," said Councilman William Johnson of the Oct. 16 incident. "The gentleman left the roadway, came into their yard and went in between a tree and the telephone pole in their backyard, and his car went through the fence. It could have been a bad situation."

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Johnson noted the accident was the result of a medical situation which may not have had a direct correlation to speed, but said if the driver had been directed to travel slower, the impact would likely have been reduced.

"If you leave [the speed limit as currently posted], it's a dangerous situation, remarked Councilman John Ibex. "Do we have the authority to temporarily reduce the speed?"

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Mayor Michael Mahon answered that as it is a county road, the borough does not have the ability to change the speed limit there.

Johnson said he asked County Freeholder John Curley how the town could acheive the speed reduction, to which Curley suggested the town pass a resolution to send to the Board of Freeholders. Borough Clerk Kimberly Jungfer quickly drafted a resolution which was unanimously passed at the last council meeting on Oct. 20.

"At the worst case, we're asking them to consider it," said Mahon. "There's legwork and homework involved on both ends, but we're just making note on our end that our request is to begin the process."

The length of Branchport Avenue from Long Branch is currently 25 mph, said Johnson, which ramps up to 35 upon the entrance to Oceanport over the Branchport Creek Bridge.

Councilman Joseph Irace said he and Johnson received an e-mail from a resident that made note of a sign along the part of the route near Maple Place which warns of a curve but does not reduce the speed limit.

"There's actually a dangerous curve sign over there that keeps the speed limit 35," said Irace. "It shows the dangerous curve and it doesn't reduce the speed limit. It says speed limit 35."

"It says dangerous curve, maintain your speed," Johnson concurred. "It looks like a mistake."

The councilmen agreed the county must have meant to reduce the speed limit to 25 mph there though the sign reads 35.

"I think we're doing the right thing, making our concerns known. Let's see where it takes us," said Mahon.

Correction: The speed limit along the stretch of Branchport in question is 35 mph, not 40 as the first sentence initially read. We apologize and regret the error.


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