(BRICK, N.J.) --- Residents question the lack of attention in school zones after elected officials approve a lower speed limit.
During the August 18 meeting, Brick’s Township Council voted to lower the speed limit on Lanes Mill Road from 40 to 35 mph. Brick Memorial High School, Lanes Mill Elementary and Herbertsville Elementary sit on this road. While voting, Councilman Gregory Cohen explained that he would rather the limit be 25 mph during school hours.
A Brick resident, Diane, noted that she understood why lowering the speed limit on Lanes Mill Road was a “good thing,” but she raised concerns about the lack of police presence and the effort to mandate the limit.
“I don’t see how this is going to work,” Diane said.
(Diane speaking at Brick Township's Council meeting on August 18.)
Diane mentioned that Brick has around 1,500 streets, an estimated 79,000 residents and only “146 full-time cops with three overlapping shifts.” She raised the question of whether the Township was prepared to find a solution to the lack of enforcement and the need for more coverage.
“Will you hire more cops, or will you let the police that we have work overtime to cover all of these schools,” Diane said.
Diane also questioned if the police are covering school zones during specific times, does this “leave the rest of the town vulnerable to crime?”
Council President Steve Feinman responded, saying that Acting Police Chief Henry Drew was not present at the meeting, but that the concerns would be brought to his attention and that they would get back to Diane on the matter.
Brick Township’s Business Administrator Joanne Bergin explained that she believed Drew had staffed “appropriately” towards the end of the last school year. Bergin noted that Drew “tweaked a nice little modification” towards the end of the previous academic year, and that’s what they plan to implement for the upcoming year.
Another resident, Mike Clyler, proposed that the council increase penalties for speeding in school zones to prevent “another tragedy” near the schools.
This speed limit change comes after a 15-year-old Brick Memorial student was struck and killed in a hit-and-run accident in May.
Jackson Mueller was riding his bike in a crosswalk early in the morning on May 19, heading to school. The driver was driving at a reported 80 mph and left the scene without reporting the accident to the authorities.
Residents also raised concerns about school zone signage lights not working. There were also reports of cars passing buses on the right. Mayor Lisa Crate explained that the Township has placed an order for the signs, but they have not arrived yet.
Residents also noted a lack of crossing guards at crosswalks, a lack of sidewalks and concerns about children’s safety.
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