By kathy baratta
Staff Writer
HOWELL — Traffic safety concerns about the Route 33 bypass exit ramp at Howell Road could ultimately result in that ramp remaining closed to motorists.
Instead, the ramp would be used only as an access route for emergency vehicles, according to Jim Snyder, deputy commissioner of the state Department of Transportation (DOT).
When the last leg of the Route 33 bypass — from Halls Mill Road, Freehold Township, to Fairfield Road, Howell, — opened Friday, the ramp from eastbound Route 33 bypass to Howell Road remained closed.
The situation that is causing concern would result when drivers heading east on the bypass exit to Howell Road. At the end of the exit ramp, drivers will have to turn left onto Howell Road, but police are concerned that a bridge over the bypass may prevent drivers who are making the left turn onto Howell Road from seeing oncoming vehicles that are already on the road.
In an effort to rectify the situation, Howell Police Department traffic safety officer Matthew Bishop said first the township will move to lower the current speed limit on Howell Road from 50 mph to 40 mph.
Bishop said police had concerns that range from local motorists who are used to driving 50 mph on Howell Road to people new to the area who will also drive 50 mph because, according to Bishop, "Howell Road was designed for 50 mph traffic."
"People drive at the speed they are comfortable with, and the department is enormously concerned that people will not maintain a 40 mph speed limit," the officer said.
Bishop initially brought his concerns about the exit ramp design to Howell Police Chief Ronald Carter, who then contacted DOT officials in an effort to convey those concerns.
As presently designed, motorists exiting the eastbound Route 33 bypass and turning left onto Howell Road northbound will have to cross a lane of oncoming traffic to do so. There is no traffic signal at the end of the exit ramp to stop vehicles on Howell Road.
Both officers made DOT officials aware that motorists on the crest of the bridge will not be able to see the a car making a left turn off the exit ramp and that southbound traffic on Howell Road will not be seen by motorists exiting the bypass.
Bishop said he, Carter and Township Engineer William Nunziato had met again with DOT officials.
Bishop said the DOT officials reviewed the plans and found 40 mph to be a proper speed limit for Howell Road and sufficient to accommodate the sight distance from the crest of the bypass bridge to the exit ramp.
He reported that the DOT officials said the sight distance was adequate according to the bypass’ present construction design.
According to Bishop and confirmed by Snyder, the original design plan for the Howell Road exit ramp had been a cloverleaf design, but that was changed due to opposition from local residents.
"Due to the concerns of some Howell Road residents, the original design of the DOT was changed to accommodate their concerns regarding an increased traffic volume on Howell Road," Bishop said.
"A cloverleaf would have allowed (eastbound) bypass traffic (that wanted to go) north (on Howell Road) not to have to make the left across Howell Road," Nunziato explained.
However, Nunziato said the bypass was designed as a way to keep traffic off of local roads. The engineer said eliminating the cloverleaf exit would reduce the potential volume of traffic on local roads.
Regarding the proposed speed limit change, Nunziato told a Greater Media Newspapers reporter, "When it comes to the bypass sight distance, you have to go with what’s there now. It is designed for 41 mph over the crest of the bridge with an adequate reaction time."
Nunziato said the plan to reduce the speed limit to 40 mph on Howell Road is a "good idea now anyway with so many residences now being located along the road."
He said once the new speed limit is posted, any motor vehicle accidents will become "enforcement issues and not a design issue."
Snyder said the DOT will continue to gather information and examine all options before a final decision is made on whether changes will be made at the site of the exit ramp or whether it will be kept closed to public travel.
Once the speed limit is reduced, Bishop said, a traffic study will be conducted using a computerized traffic strip placed on Howell Road that will record the speed of all vehicles traveling past that point.
It was when asked what steps will be taken if the traffic study shows that most vehicles on Howell Road are traveling at 50 mph or above that Snyder said officials were considering keeping the bypass exit ramp permanently closed to public traffic and used only as an emergency vehicle access route.
"There are roads to the east and west, Fairfield and Halls Mill, where full access is provided. We may reserve the Howell Road exit ramp for emergency vehicle access only," the DOT official said.