Isiah Christie 
The New Jersey Department of Transportation is addressing a proposal to reconfigure Route 35 at the Jersey Shore, which runs through Lavallette and Toms River. The proposal involves installing diagonally angled parking spaces that drivers would have to back into, with the goal of stopping vehicles from backing out into traffic, as well as the possibility of making Route 35 both north and south to include two-way traffic. Keep reading to learn about the Route 35 reconfiguration proposal and how it would affect local traffic.
What to Know
On Monday, July 13th, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) held two public hearings regarding a proposal to reconfigure Route 35, which runs through Lavallette and Toms River. This proposal aims to eliminate vehicles backing out into traffic by using diagonally angled parking spaces that vehicles would back into. It would also make the portion of Route 35 that passes through Ortley Beach and Lavallette both north and south, which would create two-way traffic before realigning to a divided highway. Some other suggestions included making parking reverse-only, and dropping the speed limit from 35 MPH to 25 MPH.
This proposal is influenced by the NJDOT’s belief that the route experiences too many crashes, especially among cyclists and pedestrians, but locals were vastly opposed to the proposal. According to official reports by NJDOT, Route 35 is one of the most dangerous in the state, with a crash rate of 5.20 as of 2018 (which places it in the top 30 in crash rates among New Jersey routes).
The hearings on Monday afternoon were met with appearances from many community members objecting to the plans, believing it would negatively affect local traffic. Lavallette mayor Walter LaCicero was also opposed to the proposal, believing that it would lead to road delays, road rage incidents, and accidents in what is considered a tightly packed area for parking. Some of the suggested alternatives included improved signage + lane painting or an increased presence of law enforcement.
This proposal follows other major traffic law-related news in New Jersey, including the legislation of a new law changing e-bike usage across the state. The NJDOT has claimed that it will not move forward with the Route 35 proposal if it is not ultimately supported by the public.
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