Erev Shabbos Traffic Continues, officials take No Responsibility

 Residents of Lakewood on Central Avenue are once again facing significant delays on Erev Shabbos due to ongoing road closures and lane shutdowns. This marks the third consecutive week of 40-minute backups, and yet township officials have remained conspicuously absent, failing to take charge or assume responsibility.

Last night at the Zoom-only committee meeting, the mayor was asked about the Erev Shabbos construction that had caused traffic chaos over the past few weeks. He acknowledged that work should not have been allowed before the allotted times and mentioned he had spoken to traffic and safety officials. However, he did not provide an explanation as to why the construction had started in the first place, and despite his assurances, the work continues, often beginning before the approved times.

Earlier, when power issues caused blackouts in Lakewood a few months ago, residents were met with tough messages from Assemblyman Avi Schnall, Meir Lichtenstein, Menashe Miller, and Ray Coles, demanding that JCP&L fix the problem. However, this time, with Erev Shabbos traffic causing a half-hour delay for residents trying to reach Westgate, there has been nothing but silence.