NORTH BRUNSWICK — The community is petitioning township officials to change the entry and exit to North Brunswick Community Park along Route 130, and to keep the back gates open at all times.
Linda Warhaftig presented over 300 signatures to the Township Council on Monday night, saying that although the park is “marvelous,” the ingress and egress is dangerous. She said residents tend to make illegal turns and U-turns by the Renaissance shopping center, make a dangerous legal Uturn by Apple Orchard Lane, make a left onto Old Georges Road south and follow the back road, or drive out onto Adams Lane past the “do not enter” sign.
She also said the gates that go out toward Adams Lane should be open full time because, since they are not locked or electric, anyone could potentially break in at any time, but emergency services have trouble accessing those in need in a hurry.
“I showed up one day for an injured child and couldn’t get in,” said Warhaftig, who is a member of the North Brunswick First Aid & Rescue Squad. “I couldn’t get out one gate and had to go out on Route 130 to take my kid to [the hospital].”
Mayor Francis “Mac” Womack said the Traffic Safety and Parks & Recreation Advisory committees would review the statements this week, since meetings were expected to take place on Tuesday night.
“I do think the points you make are certainly valid,” he said.
However, Adams Lane resident Marie Santoro said she does not want more traffic on her road, which would be the result if the gates were made accessible to all residents, because she currently has to wait 15 minutes to leave her driveway at any point of the day.
“I know my neighbors didn’t sign any of [the petitions],” she said, calling the traffic situation there “horrendous.”
“If you open up those gates, you’re going to have a lot more accidents than you have now. … It’s a bad traffic situation there now.”
Womack said the Planning Board is currently reviewing a traffic study, which includes possible improvements to Adams Lane.