Current Events > Town in Jersey blocks out of towners from using local roads during rush hour

(+) Yeah! (+)

http://newjersey.news12.com/story/37308527/leonia-closes-dozens-of-local-roads-to-out-of-towners

Starting Monday, a Bergen County town will close off dozens of local roads to out-of-towners during rush hour.

Leonia officials said it is all in an effort to alleviate traffic for locals. They said too many people from other towns cut through Leonia on their way to get to the George Washington Bridge to commute to and from Manhattan.

Officials said navigation apps, such as Google Maps and Waze, will often bring drivers through town in an effort to avoid traffic in other parts of the state, creating heavy traffic on many Leonia roads, including Fort Lee Road, Chestnut Street and Howard Terrace.

"If you look down this way as far as you can see, it would be bumper-to-bumper on a Sunday night or in the morning, said Leonia Councilman Greg Makroulakis.

Leonia residents will need to have a yellow tag on their vehicles as of Monday. The tag will let the Leonia Police Department know that they live in town and are allowed to transverse local roadways.

Sixty roads will now be for locals only, officials said. Those roads will show up as red on the traffic apps, to let drivers know.

"People who are normally using a GPS like Waze will not see these streets as a viable cut through to the bridge because they're out of play, Leonia Police Chief Tom Rowe said.

Drivers who dont live in town who are caught on some of the roads can face a $200 fine. Rowe said his officers initially will give motorists warnings, but will eventually begin writing tickets.

Some streets will be blocked by police, and four have been turned into one-way streets. Drivers with the yellow tags will be allowed on these roads.

Officials said the reason for the changes is that they are concerned that if something isnt done, ambulances and fire trucks wont be able to travel around the town.

"I think it'll definitely help. The quality of life will definitely improve, Makroulakis said.

Officials said they spent the last two years studying the plan in preparation.

How do you feel about this? I'm surprised I haven't seen this before honestly
---

Smart move
---

Doesn't sound like it should be legal to close off public roads to certain members of the public.
---

ThePrinceFish posted...

Doesn't sound like it should be legal to close off public roads to certain members of the public.

It's perfectly legal, and cities do this all the time to certain types of traffic.

I have no problem with this.
---

So they're private roads now?
---

Leonia is nothing but hills, fuck them

I better not get any Uber trips there
---

The Admiral posted...

and cities do this all the time to certain types of traffic.

What do you mean?
---

It's an interesting solution to an interesting problem, but it's gonna piss a lot of people off
---

What about tourists?!!?
---

Balrog0 posted...

The Admiral posted...

and cities do this all the time to certain types of traffic.

What do you mean?

Commercial traffic and certain vehicle types are regularly blocked during certain hours.
---

ThePrinceFish posted...

Doesn't sound like it should be legal to close off public roads to certain members of the public.

yeah this.

its a nuisance sure but can something like this be actually enforced?
---

Yeah, I heard about this a couple weeks ago. Seems like an intriguing civic issue.
---

It's ok guys. Addy says he's cool with it. Please lock this topic

Should set up a toll station and make some money
---

I feel the constitutionality of this is questionable at the very least.
---

The Admiral posted...

Commercial traffic and certain vehicle types are regularly blocked during certain hours.

By commercial traffic, do you mean trucks and bans on trucks? That is true, but I think those provisions are generally not applied to every road that isn't owned by the state.
---

It's just like Cities Skylines!
---

That's fucked up. Only vehicles I've ever seen blocked are 18 wheelers on certain roads that would make it unsafe. Good thing almost nobody wants to go to New Jersey

setting aside the legal issues if there are any, it seems like a really bad precedent to set for the system as a whole, though benefits in terms of less congestion will probably accrue to the town

one of them classic concentrated benefits vs socialized losses kinda things
---