Solutions to ease the traffic-plagued Route 9 Corridor through Lakewood and Toms River Townships are long overdue, but state officials admit short and long term improvements hinge on funding from New Jersey's Transportation Trust Fund (TTF), up for renewal by the end of 2015. 

Traffic jam
Maciej Korzekwa, ThinkStock
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The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is overseeing a one year study of Route 9 being funded by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA). Monthly meetings are being held with input from municipal and county officials.

Jamie Fox, DOT Commissioner, said that for years and too many decades, officials have talked about the Route 9 corridor being problematic, pointing out, "It's only getting worse."

Fox assured officials in Lakewood and Toms River that improvements to Route 9 would be a top priority for him and the DOT as long as additional money is included in the Transportation Trust Fund.

"I think that this is another example of why we need to raise additional revenues for the Transportation Trust Fund," said Fox. "That will be able to have the funds to address the issues that have been long neglected along Route 9."

The most significant improvements would be to widen the entire expanse of Route 9, according to Fox, but he cautioned the project wouldn't happen overnight, due to the expense, which also would involve buying properties to carry out the necessary upgrades.

"There's a lot of buildings that sit right on that corridor, so it presents engineering challenges, and therefore it makes it very expensive," said Fox.

Fox admitted the state DOT has delayed a number of major projects for too long because either they were difficult, expensive, or both.

"I think it's time that we address some of these and get to work and fix some of these problems, such as Route 9," he said.

Residential and business growth in Ocean County, as well as other regions of the state, hasn't kept up with infrastructure, according to Fox.

Fox added he believes the Route 9 corridor in Ocean County is one of the most challenged in the state and and is confident additional revenue ultimately will be included in the Transportation Trust Fund to address the issue.

 

 

 

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