When was the last time you found yourself stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic at midnight, blindsided by an unexpected road closure? Our politicians and township committee seem to have no problem communicating when it serves their interests—but when they're the ones to blame, they fall silent.
This is the daily nightmare Lakewood residents endure while the township committee remains asleep at the wheel, offering zero communication or accountability. They have utterly failed in their duty to serve us.
Many in Lakewood don’t rely on Waze or Google Maps for routine drives, yet without any warning, critical roads are suddenly closed, leaving people scrambling to navigate a maze of detours. Attending a wedding, running a simple errand, or preparing for Yom Tov has become a high-stakes game of Tetris. A five-minute drive now takes thirty, wasting our precious time—especially as we prepare for Pesach.
The biggest insult? The complete lack of communication, concern, or basic empathy from our elected officials.
The bigger question is: Who’s really benefiting from all these construction projects? Will they actually improve Lakewood’s infrastructure, or—as many suspect—are our representatives prioritizing developers, daycare owners, and nursing home operators over the needs of the people they were elected to serve?
Lakewood deserves leadership that truly represents its residents—not politicians who serve only the powerful and connected. This is unacceptable. We don’t have to put up with this. It’s time to speak out, hold our elected officials accountable, and demand real leadership.
They spent years on end working on cross street, moving all the electrical poles, paving more and more road, and the end result was nothing, no extra lane, a few turning lanes into nowhere, that helped nothing. So what was the point, years of misery for drivers and millions of dollars, with absolutely no benefit. It's all the same stuff over and over.
ReplyDeleteStop kvetching already!
ReplyDeleteI have an easy solution that's worked well with other township problems. I'll just abolish driving cars altogether in town. Think about it; on Shabbos you have no complaints about the traffic. So, we'll just make Lakewood a gantze voch Shabbos and the problem is gone.
When I abolished the rent control board a few years ago, several landlords thanked me. All the issues disappeared and landlord-tenant relations across town have never been better. Don't believe anything you hear to the contrary. And certainly, don't bury your head in the sand!
Hey Menash,
DeleteHow big is your township salary? You have such great ideas. Now I finally understand why you're such a good leader. Are you going to vote in another raise for yourself next year? I can see that you really deserve it!
We are a bunch of sheep getting abused and do nothing about it as they laugh all the way to the bank.
ReplyDeleteWhere's assemblyman Avi
ReplyDeleteHe's busy taking credit for the light that will eventually go up at Rt 9 and Broadway by Evergreen after it was already in the plans for 5 years. Why is he silent about this nightly debacle.
What's involved in doing a re-call election, the time for a re-call has come already. Someone should do the research and publicize.
ReplyDeleteWon't happen as Lakewood just reelected Miller and Lichtenstein last year after serving 20 years of inept leadership.
DeleteWorse the olam elected a Mexican woman who they don't even know her name to serve on the township committee. The problem is that the olam is clueless and gullible controlled and fooled by the vaad who use and abuse the bloc vote for themselves. The elections in Lakewood are one big geneivas dass year in year out.
If the schnall election tuition fiasco didn't prove anything than there is nothing else to do.
Larger graver tragedy is the olam presumes in fatalistic (masochistic? )style to like it this way. Or they assume through their limited experience there isn't any possible other option. Except to endure.
DeleteThey may whine a little, nu, but that is it. .
Can't do a recall in Lakewood, the committee refused to pass the laws that allow for a recall election.
Deletewe ourselves are to blame as we get a chance to vote every 2 years and if we cant get enough people with seichel to vote them out we have no one to blame besides our selves
ReplyDeleteThe biggest traffic problem in Lakewood is the way people drive. Cutting off other cars is standard practice. Refusing to give the right of way to pedestrians crossing the street is the normal way to drive. He's crossing the street? Keep speeding and lean on the horn. Visitors from the NYC find driving in Lakewood march harder than in the city.
ReplyDeleteThat people aren't killed by Lakewood drivers on a daily basis is a miracle.
If you're from Lakewood and reading this you are included.
The problem isn't the drivers. It's the road conditions that are leading people to desperation. Unfortunately, without some dangerous moves you might never get where you're going.
DeletePeople cannot be controlled. But roads can be built
DeleteLakewood drivers are themselves are huge problem. Cutting off other cars is standard practice.
ReplyDeleteDo you see a person trying to cross, give him the right of way? No way! Speed up and honk him so he has to jump out of the way. Maybe you'll be "lucky" and actually kill the guy.
This week's FJJ has a letter complaining about NYC drivers. That's nothing compared to Lakewood drivers. People from Brooklyn will tell you how much harder it is to drive in Lakewood.
Lakewood’s current system leaves entire neighborhoods without real representation. Five committee members are elected at-large, and the mayor is chosen internally—not by the public.
ReplyDeleteWe need a ward-based system with a mayor elected by the people, like the Mayor-Council structure under the Faulkner Act. It’s the only way to ensure every part of Lakewood has a voice.
So how should we go about making that happen
DeleteThe township needs to change the system of government, and the refuse to. Jackson, Tom's River and the other neighboring muncipalities have. But our glued to their seat committee refuses.
DeleteChanging the way, the town is governed is a process, but it is doable. All we need is a few volunteers.
ReplyDelete