Route 539 Can Be A Death Trap In Southern Ocean County

Lacey Township and other area police departments are conducting enhanced patrols on a five-mile swath of Route 539 after a number of serious accidents, Police Chief David A. Paprota said.

The detail is being conducted with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and other nearby police departments. Lacey’s patrols will run from milepost 15.91 to 20.85, which runs through the western section of the township, near Burlington County, he said.

The roadway has a single lane in each direction with a very small paved shoulder area. There are too many serious accidents and even fatalities, Paprota said.

“With violators exceeding the 55-mile-per-hour speed limit and aggressively passing slower vehicles, there is significant danger posed to others, as there is no room for error since the dirt portion of the shoulder of the roadway is mostly very soft and loose sand,” the chief said.

There have been 14 fatal crashes on the 38-mile stretch that runs through Ocean County, which runs north and south through eight municipalities. Four of the fatal accidents occurred in Lacey Township, Paprota said.

Center line rumble streets will be installed to warn motorists who drift into or across the line into uncoming traffic.e oncoming lane. Traffic warning signs will be positioned along Route 539 throughout Ocean County, he said.