Red Bank officials unveil emergency access route to primary school

RED BANK – A new emergency access route that leads to and from the Red Bank Primary School has been unveiled.

For decades, officials considered paving an alternate access route to and from the primary school, which until recently only had one road leading to and from the school on River Street.

Borough officials agreed a second access route was necessary for emergency vehicles to efficiently enter and exit the property should emergency services be needed at the school.

On March 11, the emergency access route was unveiled by Red Bank municipal officials, Board of Education members and emergency medical services personnel.

School board President Fred Stone said the new route, which begins on Locust Avenue, may only be used by EMS vehicles such as firetrucks and ambulances. All other motorists are prohibited from driving a vehicle on the road.

Stone said parents and children may walk to and from the Red Bank Primary School along the emergency access route, which is less than 1 mile long.

“Just the ease of access for a second egress out of the school is phenomenal. To get vehicles into the school faster with a second way of getting there is great … To have something like this that can handle big vehicles … is great,” said Second Deputy Fire Chief Nick Ferraro.