The intersection of Route 88 and Van Zile Road. (Photo: Daniel Nee)
Traffic troubles on Route 88 may be eased following an agreement hatched by the state, county and Brick Township to add a turn signal.
The long-awaited addition, first requested in 2015, covers the intersection of Route 88 and Van Zile Road near St. Dominic Church. Mayor John Ducey said this week that the state Department of Transportation finally gave its blessing to modify the intersection in order to add a left-turn lane from Route 88 onto Van Zile. The request came after an outcry from residents who have long complained that the intersection frequently gets backed up and can be dangerous with cars passing those attempting to make a turn.
“The state and county had reviewed the request and agreed with the request for a left turn arrow,” said Ducey.
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The intersection is a microcosm of New Jersey’s many layers of government. The township made the request, but the location is an intersection between a county road and a state highway. The agreement hatched by all three agencies will result in Brick paying 25 percent of the cost to redesign the intersection with the state paying the rest. Ocean County has pledged to maintain anything within its jurisdiction.
The intersection of Route 88 and Van Zile Road. (Photo: Daniel Nee)
Ducey did not have a specific timeline for the changes, however both the state and county have approved them.
In other news from the same area of town, Ducey said an abandoned gas station just north of the intersection is expected to undergo a major makeover soon. Its new owner has planned to open a Hershey Ice Cream parlor in the space now taken up by a long-abandoned, gray building.
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