State’s involvement called
upon in racetrack dispute
People who live in the section of Manalapan closest to Raceway Park, located in Old Bridge at its border with Manalapan, have for years lobbied for some enforcement mechanism that would address their issues with noise generated by the drag strip.
Along the way, there have been some legal victories and agreements that made it appear as if relief could be at hand for residents, but those who have followed the situation closely say that relief has never really materialized.
Some progress in the situation appears to have been made with the announcement by Manalapan officials that a new agreement with Raceway Park’s operators has been reached, as Mayor Rebecca Aaronson said the new order includes a provision that specifically limits muffled racing to vehicles in full compliance with state regulations regarding muffling.
The order also permits Manalapan officials unfettered access to the track to ensure full compliance with the court order. It also requires Raceway Park to pay the township $25,000 to reimburse the town for its legal fees in connection with this legal action, reduces the use of the public address system, and includes a "hammer" clause that enables Manalapan to immediately go to court and seek sanctions and monetary fines should Raceway Park violate any of the terms of this new court order.
If those provisions are enforced, then perhaps Manalapan residents who live near the race track will get the relief they have sought for so long.
But at what cost to the drag strip?
That is yet to be seen. Raceway Park officials make the point that you can’t take the noise out of car racing. That said, they have sought to demonstrate that the noise their facility makes is not as bad as residents claim, and that they have made numerous concessions over the years in an effort to appease residents.
In the end, the state Department of Environmental Protection bears some responsibility here, having never developed rules governing noise levels at automobile racetracks.
Residents are asking to have the exemption for automobile racetracks in the current state noise regulations challenged on constitutional grounds. The exemption, residents said, denies them equal protection under the state Noise Control Act.
If the issue with the Raceway Park noise is the health issue some residents claim it is, and not just a matter of people complaining about something that annoys them, then state officials and regulators are obligated to give this matter a serious look at this time.