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Swimming
River Road -- Speed limit
For many years, residents of Swimming River Road have been
concerned about the high rate of speed along this winding
country road in Lincroft. Since the 1960s there have been
many accidents and deaths along this roadway. In June 2002
a 17 year old died when his vehicle slid off the road and
crashed into a tree. It was with this tragedy that residents
banded together and decided it was time to make Swimming River
Road safe for residents and motorists alike.
Residents signed petitions and voiced their speed and accident
concerns at various Middletown Township Committee meetings
and Middletown Neighborhood meetings. Middletown Township
Committee members agreed the speed limit needed to be reduced
and they passed a resolution on May 19, 2003 asking the Monmouth
County Engineer to reduce the speed limit to 35 MPH.
The hard work of the residents along with the help of the
Lincroft Village Green Association and the Middletown Township
Committee paid off when on April 1st 2004, Monmouth County
initiated a one year pilot program, lowering the speed limit
to 35 MPH. During this time, adherence to the new speed limit
and the impact of the reduced speed limit on accidents was
studied. Along with the speed limit reduction, Monmouth County
also installed high visibility Curve Warning Signs and a new
road surface for increased traction since many accidents occurred
when vehicles slid off the roadway.
On a roadway that averaged 12 accidents a year, residents
have seen a drastic decrease in accidents since the Curve
Warning Signs were installed in 2003 and the speed limit change
on April 1st, 2004. With continued enforcement of the new
speed limit, residents and the Lincroft Village Green Association
are hopeful to end the 40 year history of accidents and deaths
along Swimming River Road.
Currently, Monmouth County is finalizing their study of
the one year pilot program, apparently emphasizing driver
compliance to the lowered speed limit (85th percentile rule)
as their primary tool in deciding whether or not the County
will recommend a permanent reduction in speed limit to 35
MPH. The LVGA feels that other factors such as road design,
pedestrian activity and accident history should weigh heavily
in Monmouth County's decision regarding the recommended speed
limit. Consequently, the LVGA has written a letter to Senator
Joseph Kyrillos, asking his help in permanently setting a
speed limit of 35 MPH on Swimming River Road. Our letter
to Senator Kyrillos can be viewed here.
We are happy to report that late in 2007 the county lowered
the speed limit on the Tinton Falls section of Swimming River
Road to 35 MPH. The Borough of Tinton Falls had passed a Resolution
on August 2, 2005, asking the Monmouth County to make a uniform
speed limit of 35 MPH along Swimming River Road. (The
Resolution can be viewed here.)
This resolution was in response to a letter written by the
LVGA to the Borough of Tinton Falls on June 14, 2005 that
also included a copy of our letter to Senator Kyrillos (see
above). LVGA's letter to Tinton Falls can be viewed
here.
The Middletown Police Department wrote a letter to Monmouth
County, endorsing a permanent speed limit of 35 MPH on Swimming
River Road. That letter can be viewed here.
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