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Spring Lake Heights council advances Old Mill Road speed‑table plan amid debate over sidewalks
Summary
The borough council agreed to pursue a corridor traffic‑calming project centered on speed tables for Old Mill Road after a Dynamic Traffic consultant warned incremental work would reduce effectiveness; some council members pressed for sidewalks in a later phase, with consultant cost estimates near $1 million for full curb, pave and sidewalks.
The Spring Lake Heights Borough Council voted May 18 to proceed with a corridor traffic‑calming project on Old Mill Road focused on speed tables, while some council members urged exploring sidewalks or other pedestrian improvements in a later phase.
Mayor Christopher Campion and Councilman Leonard Capristo both said speeding and pedestrian safety are primary concerns. Capristo, who said he traveled Old Mill Road to assess conditions, said, “It is nearly impossible to be a pedestrian on Old Mill Road,” and proposed adding sidewalks along portions of the road in the future.
Dynamic Traffic consultant Mr. Sabins told the council that treating the corridor as a whole produces better safety outcomes than piecemeal changes and described the spacing recommendations for the proposed speed tables, which are intended to reduce average vehicle speeds without imposing excessive impact on residents. He said adding sidewalks, curb and paving would substantially increase the scope and cost of the work and estimated that the cost to add sidewalks could be “close to a million dollars.”
Councilwoman Sara King cautioned against an aggressive rollout and said she preferred installing the fewest possible speed tables at first. King also asked staff to consider a traffic control option at Ocean Road and Old Mill Road; Mr. Sabins said a 4‑way stop had been studied and would be far less expensive than installing a traffic signal.
Mayor Campion said he was not in favor of delaying action, noting the council should follow engineering recommendations to reduce risk. The council expressed a consensus to treat the project as a single corridor effort rather than implementing isolated patches that could be less effective and more costly in the long run.
Next steps include moving forward on a base bid for the corridor project while preserving options to add sidewalks and other pedestrian elements later, and having Dynamic Traffic coordinate with the contractor to ensure installed elements meet the engineering specifications.
The council did not adopt a final construction contract at the meeting; staff indicated further procurement steps and coordination with counsel and engineers will follow.
