BRICK – The governing body introduced an ordinance that would reduce the speed limit on Lanes Mill Road from 40 mph to 35 mph.
The new speed limit encompasses the entire length of Lanes Mill Road, running from Burnt Tavern Road to Herbertsville Road, said Councilwoman Melissa Travers during the most recent Township Council meeting.
The public has been asking for increased safety measures on Lanes Mill Road since 15-year-old Jackson Mueller was hit by a car and killed while riding his bike to school in May. He was riding in a crosswalk by Lanes Mill Road and Rhode Island Avenue when he was struck.
This road is a county road so local government has little control over it.
Several residents spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, including Amy Cabrera, who said the 5 mph speed reduction does not go far enough.
Cabrera, who is a teacher, said she has to miss out on morning duty at her own school so she can drive her daughter to school because there are no sidewalks on her side of Lanes Mill Road.
“She would have to cross where Jackson [Mueller] crossed – there’s no crossing guard there. That’s where the kids have to cross,” Cabrera said.
She said there should be more crossing guards, sidewalks on both sides of Lanes Mill Road and possibly speed bumps or rumble strips.
Mike Kleissler, who is a retired state trooper, also made suggestions that would increase student safety on Lanes Mill Road.
“Would the council consider increasing the penalties associated with speed throughout school zones to prevent another tragedy that just happened?” he asked. “Maybe 10 points and community service, or a 30-day mandatory loss of license and really drive it home.”
Kleissler said another tool that could be utilized is “drone cars” where a dummy is placed behind the wheel of a police car that gets moved so people think there’s an officer inside.
“It’s a deterrent – it costs no overtime, costs nothing. It’s a manipulative aid that doesn’t cost the town any more money,” he said.
Township attorney Scott Kenneally said the penalties for motor vehicle infractions are governed and fixed by state statute.
“The police have authority over what tickets they write and what tickets someone’s convicted of but the penalties are set by state law,” he said. “There’s a range on those…and when you go to court there’s a range on what a judge can do, but a range of penalties and points is not an area that the (Brick Township) governing body has any regulation of in terms of motor vehicle offenses.”
There are separate offenses and heightened penalties in place for school zone offenses, unrelated to motor vehicle offenses, the attorney added.
In other news, an ordinance was introduced that addresses the location and grouping of “sober houses” in the township, which are recovery homes in the form of rooming or boarding houses that have been issued a license by the NJ Department of Community Affairs.
The sober homes are located in residential areas and serve as housing for individuals who are recovering from drug or alcohol addiction, and must satisfy certain criteria.
The introduced ordinance would require a conditional-use review for future sober homes. It would also prevent an over-concentration of recovery facilities within a half-mile radius, in addition to other stipulations.
The new ordinance is the result of residents in the area of Herbertsville Road complaining about a cluster of sober houses in their neighborhood.
Resident Ben Daniels, who said he already has three sober houses in his neighborhood, asked the governing body to amend the introduced ordinance to increase the half-mile radius to one mile since a half mile leaves room for several sober houses in one neighborhood.
The next council meeting will be held on Tuesday September 8 at 7 p.m.
