Group will keep pushing for safety improvements
Your Turn
Susan Alacchi
Guest Column

The Safe Roads for Jackson Com-mittee was heartened to learn that the Jackson Township Committee has taken action to increase the safety of a few of our roads by banning trucks on certain streets in Jackson. They are to be commended for this action.

We do agree with a resident who expressed concern at a recent meeting that this ban may force trucks onto other streets. Therefore, we would hope that the Town-ship Committee is forward thinking on this issue and will be working with the Ocean County administration to assure Jackson residents that this fear does not become a reality.

As we know, many of the streets in Jackson are under the control of the county. While the Township Committee members may not have immediate control over them, it is well within the scope of their responsibilities as our representatives to bring such matters to the attention of the county government and ask that they address them.

We would also like to thank the Township Committee members for their cooperation in supplying us with the statistics we needed. Capt. Newman of the Jackson Police Department has been extremely helpful in gathering the information and making it available to us.

These reports prove our perceptions to be true. For example, in 2000, Jackson ranked No. 1 in fatal accidents in Ocean County, a county with 33 municipalities. In 2003, we were No. 3, county-wide. In 13 years (1992 through 2004), 90 people have been killed on Jackson roads. When looking at the average of those numbers, that means that every two months, we experience the loss of a loved one.

Looking into the statistics further, we find that in the past 10 years, 1995 through 2004, Jackson had 134 pedestrian accidents, and 71 bicycle with auto accidents.

During the same 10-year period, there have been 9,378 reportable accidents (reportable accidents are accidents resulting in either personal injury or damage exceeding a particular threshold) and 2,896 non-reportable accidents. That is more than three crashes per day (on average).

Sadly, we must add a horrific accident that claimed three lives on Oct. 23 to the count for this year. A fatal accident occurred on Freehold Road near Cedar Swamp Road. As we have read, the cause remains under investigation at the time this letter is written, although the wet road may have been a contributing factor.

According to an article in the “Asbury Park Press,” “Ocean County Executive Assistant Prosecutor Robert Gasser said early indications are that speed was a factor.”

While it is known that none of the occupants of the vehicle wore their seat belts, their neglect should not have resulted in their untimely deaths, especially if road characteristics played into this tragedy.

People familiar with this area of road might remember the road curves and there is inadequate lighting where this latest accident occurred. If it is determined that the road is structured in such a way as to be inherently dangerous, then it is the duty of the Jackson Township Committee, Ocean County, and anyone else with authority, to address these factors immediately at this location and elsewhere, and take corrective measures before another tragedy strikes.

As everyone knows, Jackson is in the height of a building boom. When looking at the statistics mentioned earlier with the increase in traffic due to construction vehicles to build these homes and businesses and the resulting increase in residential traffic, strong action must be taken.

Should our elected representatives choose not to address the characteristics of Jackson’s roads contributing to these accidents, we fear that in the not-too-distant future, we will be looking back on these statistics and consider them comparatively low.

Many bridges and roads need repair. We are happy to see that work is planned for Bennetts Mills. We would hope that all safety considerations will be implemented. Further, we would hope that during the studies, foresight was used, rather than looking at how the traffic is today.

Bennetts Mills is a main artery. Any improvements must include the expected increase of traffic the new residential construction will bring onto the road.

When one factors in the new developments off Butterfly Road, on Pleasant Grove, and other immediate areas, one must recognize that keeping that section of Bennetts Mills without adequate sidewalks or other safety features is asking for trouble.

We again ask for the continued assistance of the Jackson Township Commit-tee, working to make Jackson No. 33 in ranking for accidents in Ocean County, regardless of the designation of the roads, be they municipal, county, state, or federal and that our elected officials work with all county, state, or federal agencies to make this a reality.

We ask that they consider a directive to the Jackson Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Adjustment that whenever subdivisions come before them for consideration, they take into account the impact such building will have on our roads, mandating certain safety requirements.

Those requirements may be keeping brush back from the roads, that sidewalks are built along roads on the perimeter of the development, or other measures to facilitate the safety of Jack-son.

Anyone wishing to contact the Safe Roads for Jackson Committee may do so by e-mailing us at saferoadsforjack

son@yahoo.com or by leaving a message at (732) 928-7327.

Susan Alacchi is the co-founder of the Safe Roads for Jackson Committee in Jackson Township.