Needed Traffic Light Tied Up In Court

Even at midday, in mid-week, the whoosh of the speeding traffic through the intersection of Colts Neck Road and Route 33 is near constant. 

Cars, trucks -- with anywhere from four to 18 wheels – and SUVs all come hurling down Route 33 east and west. Even at midday, in mid-week, vehicles queue three and four deep on Colts Neck road, waiting for a rare opportunity to turn left, or right, onto Route 33.

Overhead, an impotent traffic light futilely blinks yellow in the direction of those barreling down the state highway at speeds that discourage compliance.

Ask people around town to identify the most dangerous intersections and this one rises to the top nearly every time. Town officials are aware.

“It’s one of our most dangerous intersections,’’ said Mayor William Gotto.

And they have a solution. But it’s tied up in court.

In the fall of last year, the Planning Board approved a convenience store and gas station for the southeast corner of the intersection of Colts Neck Road and Route 33 after the Town Council had changed the zoning on Route 33 to allow those types of businesses.

That zoning change is what allowed the nearby Wawa store at 909 Route 33 to add its gas pumps to that location, Gotto said.

But Quick Chek, as part of its approval, is required to pay for and install a full-fledged traffic light at the intersection. Without it, no Quick Chek.

The owner of the gas station on the northwest side of that intersection however was none too keen on the green chain station moving in the neighborhood. He sued, claiming the town illegally changed the zoning, Gotto said.

He lost the first round, Gotto said, but has appealed.

The Quick Chek, and the resulting traffic light, is on hold until the resolution of the case, Gotto said.

“The municipality has done everything, I feel, that we could do to support an occupancy to go in that area and basically pay for the traffic light,’’ Gotto said.

The traffic light installation would cost the town in the neighborhood of $1 million. The town doesn’t have it, Gotto said.

The township won the original case in March. The appeal was filed shortly thereafter Gotto said. It could be months, if not longer, before there’s a resolution to the case, he said.