Lakewood residents are asking a simple question:
Who is running this town?
Every year after Pesach or summer bein hazmanim, local politicians rush to the media with PR statements praising themselves for scheduling roadwork while residents are away to “minimize disruption.”
What they never mention is the reality residents face every single night: endless road closures, unbearable traffic, confusing detours, and construction projects that seem to never end.
Last night, drivers were forced to navigate Lakewood like an obstacle course. Main roads were shut down with little to no warning, turning a 10-minute drive into an hour-long nightmare. Residents missed simchas, skipped appointments, and sat stranded in traffic trying to get across town.
And through it all, silence.
No leadership.
No guidance.
No updates.
No notifications.
No explanations.
No sympathy.
No apologies.
Nothing.
The June wedding season is approaching, and residents still have no timeline or communication about when this disruption will end. Balei simcha deserve to know their family and friends can actually reach their weddings. Parents deserve to pick up medicine or groceries without spending another hour trapped on Route 9 or James Street. People should be able to learn a full night seder.
Many residents don’t rely on Waze or Google Maps for local driving, which makes sudden nighttime closures even more chaotic and dangerous. Roads are blocked without warning, forcing drivers onto crowded side streets and perimeter roads.
The bigger question people are asking is:
Who is benefiting from all this construction?
Residents are hearing that many of these drainage and infrastructure projects are connected to future development approvals. Whether true or not, the perception exists because township officials have failed to communicate honestly and transparently with the public.
For more than 20 years, the same elected leadership has controlled this township. At some point, blaming the county or the state is no longer acceptable. Leadership means taking responsibility, communicating with residents, and showing basic respect to the people paying taxes and living through this daily disruption.
Lakewood residents deserve quality of life.
They deserve transparency.
They deserve accountability.
And they deserve leaders who represent the people not just developers and politically connected interests.
Enough is enough.
Who in this town has been living in so deep of a hole that they don't know to avoid River and James at night?
ReplyDeleteWhat's the alternative?
DeleteAll other roads are shut too.
Are people expected just not to breathe and live life?
Ummmm.... Some of us live here.
DeleteIt was closed 88 and "ocean" to pine /James & till chestnut from the 70 . And James one direction too.
DeleteCoordinated traffic planning at its best, last minute or no notice.
I blame all of you for continuesly voting in the same people. I always vote for any alternative that is willing to try any sort of change. While change is difficult at least those that want to try to change it. The current leadership never ever say things need to change. And while the local boards are not elected, they are appointed by the township committee.
ReplyDeleteIs it not an embarrassment that the two most inept and physically disgusting towns are Lakewood and bnei brak, both controlled by frum jews. We can do better than that.
Turning lane from 9 to central should be restored with green and red arrows, AND add cameras to ticket those who turn on a red arrow or block the intersection.
ReplyDeleteולמלשינים ומוסרים אל תהי , , .
DeleteThat includes all the dash cams that people send around and get yidden in trouble
DeleteTraffic cameras are illegal NJ after we caught cops lying on camera tickets justifications
DeleteWell said!
ReplyDeleteMove!!!! You can't want all the amenities, living in the hock, and ask for quality of life. They NEVER went together.
ReplyDeleteI’ve been here over 50 years. This isn’t about “wanting amenities” or expecting some fantasy quality of life. It’s about basic planning, transparency, and respect for the people who already live here and built this town long before the current chaos.
DeleteGrowth is one thing. Poorly managed growth that leaves residents stuck in endless traffic, road closures, and confusion every day is another. People have a right to ask questions without being told to “move.”
If you’re not sitting in a box at the Adirei event you shouldn’t be entitled to have any opinion On any matter.
DeleteLet them eat cake!!
I am also a very long time resident of Lakewood. When I moved here, we didn't have any of the amenities we were used to in Brooklyn. But we didn't mind. That, and living in the Yeshiva atmosphere, were worth it. If we did need something that Lakewood didn't have, we travelled to Brooklyn or elsewhere not so far away. Lakewood was wonderful without the hock and amenities. It's not so wonderful at all now that we have the hock and the amenities.
DeleteThe elected officials are not the only ones responsible. The real power often lies with the brokers and insiders pulling the strings behind the scenes, allowing this to continue while profiting and laughing all the way to the bank.
ReplyDeleteA community voting bloc should not be abused for personal interests and gain. After 120, there will be accountability for every case of geneivas daas, geneivas zman, and geneivas mammon Yisroel that was caused along the way.
Waze is of limited use.
ReplyDeleteThis town cant be run by committee . It needs a council and mayor. This City is way too large for anythin else. This isnt a hick town
ReplyDeleteIf and when the truth comes out about what all this road closure chaos is really being done for, your hair will stand on end.
ReplyDeleteAnd if you think it’s bad now, just wait until this project really gets going.
Please enlighten us
DeleteIts all in preparation for the 800+ unit Eagle Ridge development, all
DeleteInfrastructure needed to be upgraded to accommodate it before construction starts.
How do they have such a hold on the county and state politicians to perform all this free construction ?
DeleteThe utility companies pay to gain customer and probably the developers pay a portion too.
DeleteIt's such a good thing all the streets were vacated and turned into cul-de-sacs instead of having through streets all over town North, west, east and south.
ReplyDeleteOpen residentialy developed streets would bring more traffic less on street parking less navigatable area
DeleteWhy did they waste time and money building that ridiculous small island at the beginning of South Lake by Central? Absolutely serves NO purpose!
ReplyDeletecopy that
DeleteThe reason for that Island is so someone can make money. Duh..
DeleteMaybe someone and make money by taking it away.
DeleteBring back my precious parking spots.
BREAKING NEWS | EXCLUSIVE | FIRST REPORT 🚨
ReplyDeleteIn an unprecedented development, Lakewood officials have announced a bold new strategy regarding the endless construction across town:
“Maybe we should call the county and the state.”
Sources say the mayor’s office is expected to reach out sometime between the next orange cone installation and the completion of Route 9 construction in the year .....
Residents are advised to continue budgeting an extra 613 minutes to drive anywhere within a 2-mile radius
Didn't we throw out a previous State Assemblyman for no reason other than (Agudah reasons) ... who promised (among other promises) traffic solutions (including widening the 9)?
DeleteCongratulations! Route 9 is closed again think all the surrounding alternative routes would have competent crossing guards and police directing traffic! What a joke no chance
ReplyDeleteWhen I called the police dept non emergency number to request an officer direct traffic, I was yelled at by the officer on the phone.
ReplyDeleteITS TIME TO BRING IN ABE S. AND FINALLY FIX THE FORMULA
ReplyDeleteIf we were allowed to attend township meetings we would do better than they did tonight in howell. Theres a reason they don't let us attend. We should take them to court and see what happens I doubt it's legal to not allow the citizens to ever attend the meetings. Anyone know ? Lakewood is a sick place to live sorry to say and it's getting worse by the hour. It's unreal that even at night you can't get around town.
ReplyDeleteWhere's the Assemblyman Avi Schnall
ReplyDeleteWhy is he silent
He campaigned on this and now hides when it don't look good with all this traffic
Where Unzere politicians??
Meir Menash Isaac the vaad
Can we ar least get an hourly update of the road closures so we know how to navigate the town??
ReplyDeletei signed up for lpd traffic alerts they message me with street closures whether planned or unexpected like utility pole down very helpful
ReplyDeleteThe alerts go out very late and only report random closures.
DeleteThank the One above that these traffic messes are right before a crucial primary in Lakewood where the status quo can finally be upended! People will remember and be motivated to vote in the June 2nd Republican primary where after years of having no choices, there are finally candidates with proven track records of caring about the tzibbur and working hard to eliminate traffic woes. These candidates are Aaron Hirsch and Moshe Raitzik. Debbie Fuentes has been a joke of a representative these past three years. You want things to change around here EVER? Well, I do, and that way is to join me in voting for these worthy Republican candidates. Here is an election that can actually make a difference in Lakewood. Remember, if nothing changes it'll only keep on getting worse. The Eagle Ridge development is happening real soon unless we have representatives who are ready to fight for the needs of the public and specifically the seniors who live in the Cross Street area. Please make a plan to vote and make a difference.
ReplyDeleteAre some news sites bribed to avoid reporting on certain issues?
DeleteObviously..
DeleteThat's how regimes survive with a paid off media.
The fake frum media is no different than CNN
Even CNN is better than media in this this region. This is more like the one party countries like Mexico
DeleteHi everybody
DeleteAcc.to Avi S all of you must be recent arrivals, since you're complaining.
We hear local politicians say they can’t do anything about the congestion because one road is county another road estate. I believe we should call our state representatives and the governor’s office to put through a bill to become law that there should be traffic studies done yearly and that before a development is allowed to go through the traffic study has to say that the infrastructure can handle it. If it cannot the infrastructure has to be amended in a way that it will allow for the increase of housing. This way, No local official can approve a housing project and then say they can’t do anything about the infrastructure.
ReplyDelete