Route 35 and Safety for Pedestrians and Bicyclists

The barrier island tradition of traveling on foot or by beach cruiser bike has been a way of life for many, since natives and tourists find it easier than trying to drive Route 35 and find parking near their destination.

But is the mix of resort towns, a Route 35 straightaway, and heavy pedestrian traffic a safe one?

On June 17, incident on a Friday night while walking south on the east side of Route 35 northbound near Silver Beach Road. The teen was critically injured. It was the most serious collision between pedestrian and vehicle known on the barrier island this season.

Jon Dee, spokesman for the New Jersey state Department of Transportation (NJDOT), said there are no pedestrian safety projects along Rt. 35 right now. However, Dee says NJDOT has them all over the state. NJDOT's 2012 Capital Program proposes to double the amount of funding for pedestrian safety projects from $2 million (2011) to $4 million. The NJDOT voted on the issue at the end of the fiscal year on June 30.

"The administration takes the issue of pedestrian and bike safety very seriously," Dee said.

Toms River Police Chief Michael G. Mastronardy says that Class 1 special officers are employed as crossing guards along both Rt. 35 North and Rt. 35 South in the Normandy Beach section of the township. The guards are funded in the police department's budget.

The crossing guards work seven days a week and work until beaches close for the day, usually around 5:30 p.m., Mastronardy said. Toms River Police have also set up barrels to allow safe regulations for pedestrian crossing throughout the Toms River section of the beaches, past Seaside Heights. 

Toms River Lt. James Harris is the instructor for a Pedestrian Decoy Program. Harris has created the "proactive Pedestrian Safety Awareness Initiative that focuses on the driver’s responsibilities when they perceive a pedestrian enter the roadway,"according to his presentation available on the New Jersey State League of Municipalities website.

The program - based on 2008 statistics of traffic incidents - uses a "decoy" or undercover officer to cross roadways at clearly marked crosswalks. The decoy officers work with an enforcement team to identify and educate pedestrian law violators, the program states.

Harris' program offers guidelines for the safety of the "decoy" as well as targeted crosswalks, rules, and program goals. Harris hopes the program will help police departments across the state to look at pedestrian safety with a different perspective, according to the website.

As of July 3, the New Jersey Police Fatal Accident Investigation Unit has reported a number of 10 pedestrian accidents in Ocean County , just behind 11 pedestrian accidents in Essex County. Ocean County has the highest number of bicyclist accidents in New Jersey so far this year to date, with two accidents.

There have also been a total of 22 crashes in Ocean and 25 fatalities as of July 3, according to statistics. 

While statistics are not specified to the exact location within the counties, pedestrian and bicycle traffic throughout the summer months increases along with the number of incidents at nearby beach towns.

Motorists who fail to stop for pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks risk a $200 fine along with additional penalties, according to the NJ Commuter website.

New Jersey State Highway Route 35 runs through Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties. Throughout the summer months, pedestrian and bicycle traffic along Route 35 in Ocean County becomes dangerous for drivers and pedestrians if traffic laws are not obeyed. 

In Ocean County, Route 35 begins at the entrance to Island Beach State Park in Berkeley Township and runs north, through Seaside Park, Seaside Heights,  the Ortley Beach of Toms River, Lavallette, and along the smaller beach communities. Route 35 also passes through Brick, Point Pleasant Beach and across a channel of the Manasquan River before entering Monmouth County.

New Jersey Commuter website has a published a list of pedestrian safety tips to help pedestrians and drivers along busy roads.

These tips include cross at corners, within marked crosswalks where available, walking on sidewalks, walking against traffic and obeying traffic signals. among others.