CREST HAVEN — A contingent of four Strathmere residents traveled south Dec. 23 to ask the freeholders about lowering the speed on Commonwealth Avenue (C.R. 619 a.k.a. Ocean Drive).

Dick Omrod, spokesman for the group, told the governing body their goal.

“Where do we go from here?” Omrod asked.

“What is the procedure to see if we can get the speed limit lowered,” Omrod said.

The process, explained Director Daniel Beyel, a former Upper Township committeeman, was that the municipality would send a request to the county, which would forward it to the county engineer.

“Most of the problem is lack of enforcement,” Beyel replied.

“It doesn’t have the criteria for reducing the speed limits. It won’t happen (a traffic survey) won’t happen until Summer 2009.
“Is it possible to get that in writing?” Omrod asked. “It doesn’t make sense.”

He cited speeders in the summer, when the population of the seaside town drastically increases.

“We started a study on that,” said County Engineer Dale Foster.

“It doesn’t make sense to do it now. There are no cars on the road,” he said.

He said residents wanted the speed limit on the county road lowered to 25 mph, down from the present 40 mph.

Radar checks are done as part of the survey.

“Speed limits are set on how fast people are traveling,” Foster said.

“Our radar checks have shown it is very difficult to justify a reduction in a speed limit,” he added.

Foster said the county may have to perform another traffic survey “closer to the height of the season.”

That means any action, should it be deemed necessary, would come next fall at the earliest.

Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 ext 28 or at: al.c@cmcherald.com