OLD BRIDGE — Putting the pedal to the metal is something Old Bridge residents want to see ground to a halt.
Township officials say they are seeking ways to respond to a growing number of complaints about speeding in the township.
"We’re trying to get a viable alternative because of the lack of manpower," explained Old Bridge Police Capt. Robert Bonfante, the Traffic and Safety Department director. "Speeding isn’t worse now, but people are becoming more aware of it. A lot more residents are complaining."
Bonfante, together with Ward 5 Township Councilman Richard Greene and Patrolman Leonard Faderara, are currently devising a plan to reduce speeding. The problem is everywhere, Bonfante said, but the worst areas are the major thoroughfares, such as Marlboro Road and Throckmorton Lane.
"As of right now, we have certain streets targeted," Bonfante said. "We have several hundred on a list."
The list is compiled in part from complaints received from the public, he said.
Greene, who is running for re-election in November, cites speeding as a big issue among his constituents.
"It’s a problem on many streets in Ward 5, as well as the town," said Greene, who added that the residents in his ward want something done about speeding now.
"My purpose was to bring this out in the open to focus on it," said Greene, who addressed the issue at a recent council meeting. "I had it on the council agenda about three months ago. There wasn’t any representation from the police department at that time, so we asked the clerk’s office to reschedule for a meeting three months later."
Bonfante and Faderara, a 30-year veteran on the force, will present a plan to target speeders at a council meeting in November, Greene said. One of Bonfante’s suggestions will be to purchase another radar trailer, which he estimates will cost about $10,000. The trailers track the speed of motorists by flashing speedometer readings of passing cars.
"This thing is in such demand," Bonfante said, who added that in neighboring towns such as Marlboro Township and East Brunswick, radar trailers are plentiful.
"East Brunswick has 10. We have one," he said.
Other ideas include installing more speed limit and "child aware" signs, and running a community announcement on Channel 70, Old Bridge’s local Cable television station.
"The worst thing is to upset residents," Greene said. "I don’t want to see the police officers giving out tickets to everyone on a particular block. It should be done through education or through warnings. We can’t put a traffic light on every corner. The best solution is police enforcement."
Limited manpower, though, is the largest hurdle to overcome in putting a halt to township speeding, according to Bonfante. His department is staffed with three full-time officers whose other responsibilities, such as patrolling roadway construction work zones, make it difficult to monitor streets for speeding violations.
"We can only do so much with three guys in traffic," Bonfante said, adding that he hopes township officials will hire more police officers.