​Annual Salamander Migration Is Underway In East Brunswick. What To Expect:

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — A stretch of road spanning two Middlesex County townships will often be closed this season as hundreds of salamanders make their annual journey from the woods to nearby breeding ponds.

Beekman Road in East Brunswick — which becomes White Pine Road in South Brunswick — usually shuts down nightly at Church Lane in East Brunswick and at Davidsons Mill Road in South Brunswick, according to the East Brunswick Police Department.

The closures will occur sporadically based on weather conditions favorable to salamander movement, the department said.

"The salamanders cross the road because they live in the woods on one side of the road and move to a breeding pond on the opposite side," police said. Once the salamanders finish laying eggs, they will sporadically cross back to the woods over the course of a month. The migration generally occurs during warm, rainy nights in late winter or early spring.

Motorists are urged to use Cranbury Road or Fresh Ponds Road as alternate routes and to slow down and remain alert for pedestrians in the area.

The Friends of East Brunswick Environmental Commission, which helps coordinate the annual protection effort, is asking volunteers and spectators to come prepared — and to keep their hands to themselves.

A bright, dedicated flashlight is required for anyone participating. Phone flashlights are not sufficient, the group warned, noting that without adequate lighting, people risk stepping on the very animals they are trying to protect.

"Please do not handle the amphibians," the commission said in a statement. "They are slippery and easy to drop, and our hands can transfer oils that are harmful to them. They know where they are going, so just enjoy them as they cross and take lots of photographs."

Here are some safety rules they shared:

• Beekman Road and Church Lane are always dark. Cars driving on them are moving fast, and you don't expect anyone to be there. It is simply dangerous, and extreme caution is the rule
• Never walk on Beekman Road when it is not closed.
• Never let children cross Church Lane without holding their hands.
• Wear bright colored clothing so you are highly visible

• Parking is best at the small county lot on Beekman Road (accessed from White Pine on the South Brunswick side) just before the closure and on Crispin Lane off of Church.
• Do not park in front of the barriers.
• Use exceptional caution when parking, as it is often dark and rainy and visibility of visitors and other cars may be limited.