By charles w. kim
Staff Writer
SOUTH BRUNSWICK — Residents will get their say Aug. 27 on what should be done to calm traffic on Raymond Road.
Mayor Debra Johnson is asking anyone in town who wants to be heard on plans to calm traffic on the road to attend that special one-hour hearing during the Township Council meeting.
Township Engineer Jay Cornell of CME Associates, in the Parlin section of Sayreville, presented the council with a plan to place a 12-foot-wide concrete island in the center of the road between Douglas Drive and the intersections of Sandor and Deerpark drives.
Residents have appealed to the township to do something about speeding traffic along that section of the road.
That part of Raymond Road was widened by developers as part of their site plan approvals for new building.
At an earlier Township Council meeting, residents said that the widening of the section has caused the speed of vehicles there to increase.
Several of the residents have made signs asking motorists to slow down to make the section safer.
The council first looked at using a striping barrier to narrow the road and slow traffic, but residents objected because they felt that the striping would not do enough to calm the traffic.
Cornell presented four alternatives at a prior council meeting, but then met again with about six residents in the area to develop a solution that everyone was happy with.
Cornell said Tuesday night that the project is ready to begin the design phase if the council approves of the design.
Cornell and Public Affairs Coordinator Ron Schmalz also met with officials from the state Department of Transportation to make sure that the plans could secure DOT approval.
Johnson, however, said that she wanted to be sure that the majority of residents approved of the design before work on the plan progressed.
Johnson said that all residents of Raymond Road and residents within 200 feet of the proposed project will be sent a letter to advise them of the meeting next week and inviting their comments.
Deputy Mayor Frank Gambatese said that there may be other residents who want to be heard on the issue because they use that road.
"I use that road frequently. Others that use it may be affected by this," Gambatese said.
The meeting will be at the municipal building on Route 522 Aug. 27 at 7:30 p.m.