Part of Marconi Avenue may become one-way
Township officials hope proposal will ease traffic on Marconi and Oak Tree Rd.
BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer

KATHY CHANG The Township Council is considering changing one block of Marconi Avenue, which is four blocks long, in Iselin into a one-way street. The proposal may lessen traffic congestion at peak gridlock times.

The proposal to change one block of Marconi Avenue, which is four blocks long, in Iselin, into a one-way street may lessen the traffic congestion at peak gridlock times.

"Right now, cars can't pull out of Marconi Avenue onto Oak Tree Road at peak traffic times," said Traffic Officer Eric Nelson. "People traveling in opposite directions of each other on the street would have to dodge parked cars, which causes additional gridlock."

Nelson applied to the state Department of Transportation in June to change the one block of Marconi Avenue into a one-way street facing northbound. The one block stretches from Oak Tree Road to LaGuardia Avenue.

"A state DOT investigator came out and approved my request in the beginning of November," said Nelson. "The Township Council will decide [to approve or disapprove] the proposal at the next council meeting [Dec. 5]."

Nelson said the proposal will provide additional parking spaces from six to eight spots to eight to 10 spots.

"Right now, there's only permit parking for area residents available on one side of the street," he said. "The additional parking spaces will alleviate Oak Tree Road parking during peak hours."

Mayor John E. McCormac said he thinks the proposal will help the flow of traffic on Oak Tree Road.

"It will force people to go to the traffic light [on Middlesex and Correja avenues] and make a structured left," he said.

Nelson said if the proposal is approved, there will be a waiting period for the department to advertise the change in the newspapers and for the traffic officers to put the proper signage in place.

The proposal for Marconi Avenue is separate from the recent township community "visioning" meetings, but is just one of the ways that will alleviate traffic congestion in Iselin.

The township held two such meetings on Iselin in September and October under the direction of Fred Heyer and Susan S. Gruel, principals in the New Brunswick planning firm Heyer, Gruel & Associates.

The meetings are part of a $60,000 initiative to explore the township's business districts and the surrounding residential areas. The next meeting on Iselin is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 11.

Residents had a myriad of complaints at the first meeting, which included traffic congestion; inadequate parking for the strip malls on Oak Tree Road, double parking on Oak Tree Road, the lack of cleanliness on Oak Tree Road and constant development in Iselin.

Heyer and Gruel outlined possible solutions at the second meeting. Heyer said parking problems have led to traffic congestion. He suggested increasing the availability and utility of existing parking by redesigning lots and linking lots together.

"Parking is done on a case-by-case basis," he said. "People should pay for parking on the streets and leave the parking lots free. It's something to look at."

He also proposed limiting the conversion of small residential lots into commercial use and reducing curb cuts on all public streets.

"The commercial uses usually don't have adequate parking, which causes problems," said Heyer. "Perhaps build townhouses or keep it single-family homes."

Reducing curb cuts is another way to reduce friction because it prevents drivers from taking shortcuts, he said.

The planning consultants also suggested upgrading the parking signage to make it easier to find parking, improving lighting, signage, sidewalks and street furniture, prohibiting front-yard Dumpsters, and extending the Special Improvement District to Wood Avenue.

"The upgrade to the parking signage is key," Heyer said. "Because what does one do when they don't know where they are going? They continue to circle around until they find a spot and that jams up traffic and they make those illegal U-turns."

One goal is to encourage walking, he said.

"We want people to drive and park their car only once," he said. "Comfortable pathways need to be made. Crosswalks should be geared to areas where people are pressured to use them."

McCormac said he commends Township Council President Patricia Osborne and Ward 4 Councilman James Major for making sure his administration focuses on the problems facing Iselin and also state Sen. and former interim Mayor Joseph Vitale for starting the visioning process. He said a complete package of ordinances and administrative directives will be put in place.

"A lot of solutions will be long term," said McCormac. "But short-term solutions involve staggering the hours for inspectors to go inspect the business district and provide a hot-line for residents to report potential illegal housing and other issues, which is not only on Oak Tree Road."

Some Iselin residents came to the Nov. 21 Township Council meeting wanting some answers to some of the issues.

"These 18-wheeler trucks drive over my property, and I have lost $5,000 worth of damage on three of my cars," said Ajay Madan, who lives on LaGuardia Avenue. "I pay over $7,000 in taxes. There shouldn't be any 18-wheeler trucks in a residential area. I shouldn't be afraid to park my car in front of my house."

Gordon Manee, who lives on Correja Avenue, says Iselin has become so disgusting that he is scared to go out on his front lawn.

"I won't be surprised if I get shot up there," said Manee. "There is overcrowding in houses and a house was bought for a commercial business. Deliveries are made in the backyard. Was a permit issued for this? And also, the signs on the streets should be looked at again because people seem to just ignore the signs."

Osborne said the township will send an inspector to see if a permit was issued for the house bought for a commercial business.

In other township business, Middlesex County approved to study the intersection of Green Street and Middlesex Essex Turnpike in Iselin.

"This is a major step for the area," said McCormac. "Hopefully the study will start soon."

Also, the Township Council will discuss a free shuttle proposal for Oak Tree Road shoppers at its next council meeting on Nov. 28. The council approved an application for a $4,500 grant from Keep Middlesex Moving, the county's nonprofit transportation management association, on Oct. 31 to conduct a study to see if the proposal is feasible.