Traffic Light Coming For Difficult Intersection

On a Tuesday morning rush hour, cars cue up six, sometimes seven deep where Ramshorn Drive meets Atlantic Avenue.

Drivers inch forward into the intersection, past the stop sign, and crane their necks around the Clayton Building, a 19^th century structure that’s uncomfortably close to the road. There, they wait.

Clearing Ramshorn Drive, a township road, is slow going, as vehicles careen unimpeded on the county-owned Atlantic Avenue and through the oddly shaped intersection.

The crossing has been the site of two recent serious collisions – both happening within days of each other – and is on the county’s radar. By next year, there will be a full traffic signal, county officials said, slowing traffic on Atlantic Avenue and clearing Ramshorn more safely.

“This is unique because of the historical location,” said Robert Brice, Wall police chief. “With those buildings right next to the roadway, it presents a sight challenge. When the road was created it was probably a horse path.’’

The Clayton Building, built in 1870, stands on the southeast corner of the intersection. Across the street, on the northwest side, is the site of the former Allenwood train station building. While not as close to the road as the Clayton Building, it is merely feet away.

Over two days at the end of July, two separate accidents occurred at the crossing, one involving a motorcycle, calling attention to the intersection that Brice said remains a safe, if difficult, intersection.

Brice said while unusual that two collisions happened within days of each other, those are the only two accidents at that intersection this year, following only two in 2010.

There was a spike of seven accidents in 2009 and the same number in 2007, dropping to three in 2008. Overall, there have been 50 accidents in the past 10 years there, Brice said.

“For a stop-signed intersection with the amount of traffic, it’s right on par,’’ Brice said. Most of the accidents, he said, are caused by improper merging onto Atlantic Avenue or not stopping at the sign.

The close proximity of the historic buildings to the road, also contributes, Brice said.

“It would be nice if there was more setback there, but we’re probably a couple hundred years too late for that,’’ he said.

Many of the intersection’s problems could be remedied, however, by a fully functioning, four-way traffic light, the likes of which is being considered by the county.

Ramshorn and Atlantic are back in the cue, but on the county’s list of intersection improvements, according to Bill Heine, county spokesman.

Plans currently call for a full, 4-way traffic light to help alleviate some of the difficulty there and Heine said the county might let bids for the intersection by the end of the year, or Spring 2012.

“We know it’s a touchy intersection,’’ Heine said. “There may be some corner cuts we can do in addition, but with the buildings so close, we’re really limited on what we can do there.’’