Resident seeks left-turn arrows at Route 33 & Millhurst Road
Manalapan location is scene of frustration for area motorists
BY MARK ROSMAN Staff Writer
Aresident is asking for action to be taken at a Manalapan intersection that is often choked with traffic.

During the public comment portion of the Manalapan Township Committee's April 23 meeting, Jan Zachary asked the committee to contact the state Department of Transportation (DOT) and request that left-turn arrows be added to the traffic light at the intersection of Route 33 and Millhurst Road.

Zachary, who is a longtime member of the Englishtown- Manalapan First Aid Squad, noted that the intersection is one of Manalapan's busiest locations.

The intersection in question on Route 33 is where Millhurst Road meets the state highway on the westbound side and Sweetmans Lane meets the state highway on the eastbound side.

Motorists on Millhurst Road and Sweetmans Lane get a green light at the same time and the congested situation often leads to vehicles stopping in the intersection and waiting for oncoming traffic to cross Route 33 before a left turn can bemade. That limits the number of left turns that can be made during a green light phase.

Zachary mentioned that left-turn arrows were recently added to a traffic light at the intersection of Route 33 and Wemrock Road in Freehold Township and said he could not understand how the intersection of Route 33 and Millhurst Road in Manalapan does not have a dedicated leftturn signal.

Deputy Mayor Susan Cohen said, "We are trying to get answers or cooperation on that issue from the DOT, however, the inspector who is assigned to the Route 33 and Millhurst Road intersection is not being responsive."

Cohen said she made her displeasure with that particular inspector known to the DOT commissioner.

On April 25, Cohen informed the News Transcript that a DOT administrator had gotten involved in thematter and assigned traffic engineer Altin Aliaj to work with Manalapan representatives.

Aliaj recently worked with Cohen on several Route 9 traffic issues.

Cohen said Aliaj understands that the Route 33 and Millhurst Road intersection is important to residents and is making it a priority. She said he has been out to the site and is now waiting for a drafting plan to be done.

A meeting is scheduled for May 1 to go over the split phase traffic signal and pedestrian crossing signals. Cohen said once the drafting is complete, there will be a work order generated for the work to be done.