West End tracks may get safety upgrades

West End tracks may get safety upgrades
Councilman says railroad crossing poses dangers
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer

KENNY WALTER Long Branch Councilman Brian Unger thinks this West End railroad crossing poses dangers to pedestrians and vehicles.
LONG BRANCH — Councilman Brian Unger is pushing city officials to take a look at the railroad tracks that traverse West End Court in the West End section of the city.

"This is about the stretch of railroad tracks between Brighton Avenue and Cedar Avenue, behind the Foodtown, behind the Chase Manhattan Bank there," Unger said at the July 14 City Council workshop meeting.

According to Unger, the site is unsafe for both pedestrians and vehicles.

"I see kids cross the tracks from the neighborhood," he said. "I've seen people carrying groceries across."

Unger said that sometimes the tracks pose a problem for him as well.

"I've been on that road [West End Court] in the winter when it's icy and have had trouble negotiating the turns," he said.

"There are points along the tracks where the tracks are literally a couple of feet from the roadway," he added. "The tracks are totally exposed."

NJ Transit police have posted a sign at the crossing.
While admittedly not an expert on safety engineering, he does believe through his own experiences and observations that this is a problem.

"I do feel like this is a safety hazard," he said. "I'd like to see a thick, strong iron fencing to stop automobiles and pedestrians from crossing the tracks."

Unger is requesting that New Jersey Transit take a look at the site and make some recommendations.

"They may say it's perfectly safe, 'Sorry there's nothing we can do,' " he said. "They may say, 'Gee, you're right, we have to do something.' "

According to Unger, a call will be placed to the NJ Transit Asset Management Department to schedule someone to come out and look at the site, which he hopes will happen within a month.

Unger expects the mayor and city administration to look at the site with safety experts provided by NJ Transit.

"They have to make a determination about whether or not it passes their safety requirements," he said.

A NJ Transit spokesman said last week he was unaware of the track crossing conditions and would look into Unger's concerns.

Unger said that because the area in question is just a few feet from the tracks, NJ Transit has the right-of-way and will fund any changes needed to the site.

Unger said pedestrians crossing the tracks aren't really supposed to be doing so.

"There is a sign up, you're not supposed to be walking across there," he said in an interview. "It is against NJ Transit rules."

One problem with the site is that there is no one to regulate it, he said.

"Apparently, they [NJ Transit] have police that drive by there," he said. "But I wouldn't imagine they are out there often."

Business Administrator Howard H. Woolley said there have been some issues with the site in the past.

"I think the issues have been people on Cedar. Occasionally, somebody rather than making the left onto Market has made a left onto the tracks, or even a right onto the tracks," he said. "Usually, it's been somebody who's been relatively disoriented."

Contact Kenny Walter at

kwalter@gmnews.com


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