Sandy Hook Beach Traffic
Extra officers on duty, patience, teamwork and hydration all helped Highlands Police Department get through a weekend where traffic was backed up on Route 36 the entire length of Highlands, through Middletown and into Atlantic Highlands as beach goers headed to Sandy Hook and long waits to pay fees at the entrance to Gateway National Recreation Area Saturday and Sunday.
“I don’t think there is any good way to facilitate the thousands of vehicles passing through our small town, “ said Police Capt. George Roxby, who headed up operations over the weekend. “We appreciate the patience of our residents, and I can assure you we are doing the absolute best we can to ensure the safety of our roadways.” The captain added that “It is paramount we keep traffic flowing on all of our side streets as well in the event that fire or first aid needs to get through.”
In appreciating local residents’ cooperation with the added strain on their routines, Roxby noted “Highlands locals know to watch the weather on a summer weekend and plan accordingly….”just like they know to watch the wind tides and moon during a storm.”
It’s all part of “being a Highlander,” the captain said pragmatically.
But the extremely heavy traffic load, which spilled onto Linden Avenue, Bay avenue, Shore Drive, and numerous other smaller streets in the borough as well as Valley and Highland Avenues and Miller St on the hill meant Chief Robert Burton, anticipating the traffic in view of weather predictions, assigned six police officers to work from 8 a.m. to 4 Sunday, including the three officers and one Special Enforcement officer usually on duty during a summer weekend. The department also used “Bayshore Distracted Driver” grant funding for the additional officer and changed the shift of one special Class II officer to supplement the day shift.
Four officers were deployed on foot for most of the day, Roxby said, focusing on the east bound lane of Route 36. Three officers were on or near the Capt. Joseph Azzolina Bridge, and at the intersection of Portland Rd and the bridge while the fourth officers was near the Miller St. and Route 36 intersection, all focusing on keeping the left lane moving east on Route 36. The officer at the Miller St. Intersection also had to ensure the intersection had to be kept clear to avoid further backup on Highland Ave.
At the same time, other officers on duty continued to answer calls for service throughout the borough, enforced traffic and parking regulations, and handled other issues, rotating with the officers on Route 36 traffic control for needed breaks.
“A major problem we encounter is people stopping in the left lane in order to attempt to merge into the right lane for entry to Sandy Hook,” Roxby said, completely blocking off the left lane and creating further backups.
Police report there were no injuries due to traffic and only one unrelated EMS call in the borough during the day shift.
In addition to keeping water in the vehicles, and being rotated through breaks, police also had additional water delivered to their stations throughout the day to ensure their own protection from the soaring temperatures and hot sun.
While Roxby could not give an estimate of how many vehicles passed through the borough Sunday, he noted that WAZE and GPS systems suggested side streets to avoid traffic buildup. As a result, motorists took the jug-handle at Linden Avenue, or cut across the median at Waterwitch Ave to get down to Bay Avenue then travel along Bay Avenue to access the bridge from Portland Road and Highland Ave.
However, because of a buildup on Bay Avenue from the lines of cars attempting to cut into traffic at the highway, police did close entry to the bridge from that ramp and directed cars to head west along Highland Avenue, for exit into east bound lanes of Route 36 through Miller Sgt. Or Valley Avenue. Around 11 a.m., that traffic also included churchgoers leaving Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church as well.
“While we understand this is frustrating to residents,” Roxby explained, “but if we don’t do it, we get gridlock on both Bay and Highland Avenues.” There is nowhere for them to go,” he explained, noting “If we allow vehicles to try to get onto the bridge from Portland rd. near the bridge, “it just about instantly gridlocks Bay and Highland Avenues. I understand not being allowed to go the way that one would normally go is frustrating but our number one priority is the safety of our residents,” Roxby said.
Between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday, Roxby said, 36 cars were stopped and 26 summonses were issued, along with another ten warnings for traffic violations.
Grateful for no serious incidents or long term problems, Capt. Roxby pointed out “most of the blame can be put on the fact we live in a beautiful location. We live in a congested state and people love the beach. “
He added it seems clear that bottlenecks are caused by all those motorists having to wait in line to pay at the Sandy Hook. “It would be extremely helpful to the local department and ease stress for residents, if they could get cars in faster,” conceding that in addition, “Less friction during their payment process would have people on the beach and off of the road faster, which to me sounds helpful.”
The officer said, the park service could explore the option of metered parking to enable a free flow access to the park. Roxby said the rangers working at the Sandy Hook booths do their absolute best and should not be blamed but “ finding a way to get people into the park faster would be beneficial to all of the surrounding towns as well as their customers.”
Both Chief Burton and Capt. Roxby expressed appreciation for the patience of borough residents and businesses, saying, “We can assure you that we are doing the absolute best that we can in the borough for the safety of our residents and our roadways. “
