By kathy baratta
Staff Writer
HOWELL — Traffic safety concerns raised by the Howell Police Department may delay the opening of an exit ramp from the Route 33 bypass to Howell Road.
The bypass running from Halls Mill Road in Freehold Township to just east of Fairfield Road in Howell is expected to open in the near future.
However, the exit pattern at Howell Road is a cause for concern for Howell Police Chief Ronald Carter.
Carter told Greater Media Newspapers that he recently met with state Department of Transportation (DOT) officials in an effort to convey his concern about the location of the Howell Road exit ramp. He said the location of that exit ramp is dangerous and is an accident waiting to happen.
The chief said the problem lies in the fact that motorists who are traveling eastbound on the Route 33 bypass and want to exit onto Howell Road will only be allowed to turn left onto Howell Road southbound and will have to cross an oncoming lane of traffic to do so.
Carter also said the Howell Road exit is at the crest of the bridge where the bridge crosses the bypass.
He said exiting motorists will not be able to see oncoming traffic over the crest of the bridge.
"They’ll pull out and traffic is so close. There will be no time to react," he said.
The chief said when he met with DOT officials on Dec. 5 he told them, "It is a fatal (motor vehicle accident) waiting to happen."
Carter said he became aware of the situation when it was brought to his attention by traffic safety officer Matthew Bishop. He said Bishop informed him the exit ramp was a safety hazard, so Carter said he went to see it for himself.
The chief said once he saw the site he agreed there was an "obvious problem." He said the DOT officials did not agree with that assessment and said the sight distance is adequate.
Carter said he told the DOT officials when he met with them that he would "do everything he could to bring pressure to bear in order to prevent the exit ramp from being opened."
He said speaking on the record about the matter to Greater Media Newspapers was part of that "public and political pressure."
Carter said he was heartened by the fact the DOT officials said they would present the police department’s traffic concerns to their engineers and other experts for review.
However, Carter said he will bring whatever political pressure he can in order to get the state to keep the Howell Road exit ramp from opening until a safe exit is provided.
The chief said he was grateful the DOT officials had agreed, for the time being, to delay the opening of the exit ramp pending the development of a mutual resolution.
DOT spokesman Micah Rasmussen told Greater Media Newspapers, "We are certainly aware of the chief’s concerns and are looking into them."
When asked if any changes are being planned for the Howell Road exit ramp, Rasmussen said he did not know if any changes would be made to the exit ramp by the DOT.
Rasmussen said the opening of that ramp will be delayed until the DOT can meet again with Carter and inform him of any decision on their part regarding the Howell Road exit ramp.
Carter said he understands that the DOT has the authority to open the exit ramp over his protests.
As to what the state can do to rectify the situation, Carter said as he sees it there are several avenues for the DOT to explore in order to make the exit ramp safer.
First, he suggested the DOT move the exit ramp farther south on Howell Road, which would give it a greater sight distance.
He also suggested the design and construction of a cloverleaf under Howell Road that would bring exiting traffic up onto the northbound side of Howell Road.
Finally, the chief said the placement of a traffic signal could rectify the situation.