Deadly Road The Subject Of Calls For Change In South Jersey

GLOUCESTER COUNTY, NJ — Local leaders called on state agencies to review the design of Route 55 after a string of deadly crashes over the last few years.

On Monday, a driver was killed, and a child was taken to the hospital in the latest case of tragedy along the Gloucester County road.

"We write this letter with deep concern...we hope to understand the factors contributing to these collisions and enact safeguards to prevent these crashes and protect the roadway's drivers," members of the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly said in a letter on Tuesday to the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

According to the group, there have been ten deaths that resulted from collisions along Route 55 over the last four years, not including Monday's crash.

Along with the Department of Transportation, the letter also calls out other "cooperating agencies" as having responsibility to take part in this review.

"This isn't about assigning blame," said Assemblyman Cody D. Miller (D-04), "it's about taking a hard look at the data...and doing everything we can to save lives."

Just days ago on July 13, a 24-year-old man was killed, and a tractor-trailer flipped over in two separate crashes along the roadway.

Patch has reached out to state officials for a response to the request for review of Route 55 and is yet to hear back.

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