Wed, 08/27/2008 - 7:48pm

I think maybe all these people on here spouting out should do something positive and stop hiding behind their computers. Stand out on the roadways with signs telling people to slow down, go to your local town meetings to address your concerns, write letters to the editors of your local papers, anything.... just stop *** on here passing the buck to others....

Sun, 08/24/2008 - 11:21am

To the spouter who says the state mede it worse by putting in less passing zones, slow down, and reralize you don't have to pass everyone on the highway. Since the state put the double yellow lines thru Goshen, the amount of accidents dropped to almost none. In fact instead of having multiple serious head-on accidents on the holidays, there have been none since the no passing went in. The people who want to break the laws still do, they still speed & they still pass even on the double yellow lines. But at least with the double lines they just don't pull out with out looking thinking they have the ultmate right of way, now at least they wait untill there is no other cars comming. So it is not the road, it's the way people drive on it. People just need to slow down and drive more responsibly.

Sun, 08/24/2008 - 11:21am

I would like to make a comment on the comment that was made on Thurs. 8/21/08 @ 3:07pm.
In the comment it says about the "YOUNG driver and passenger", "Do not know why he was in the WRONG LANE", "WRONG TIME", "NO WITNESS", "SO you can't blame the "YOUNG" driver! Alot of don't knows in the comment, but "Its a known fact that the the car hit the guardrail!!!!!!!!!!!!! The van hit the car?????????????
Come on now, you have a car coming towards you in the North lane, the lights of the car are suppose to be going passed you not straight for you!
The driver a 37 year old with alot of driving experience, did what any other responsible driver would of done.
The driver of the "Impala" did not have control of his car, that is a "known fact".
I will end this comment by saying the driver of the van had control of his vehicle at all times through the tragic accident because if he did not, his family would of lost 5 family members which two of them are 3 and 4 years old, and one is 14.
So you say you don't want to blame? Then don't blame the driver of the van for hitting the Impala!
My Thoughts and Prayers are with all families involved.

Sat, 08/23/2008 - 8:34pm

So, you race cars, and feel the speed limits are conservative, so it's okay to speed - i guess that's what you mean.

Defenseive driving courses - I've taken several. Used to drive trucks too.

If you're following me, and I jam my brakes on - I would suspect it's for good cause.

If you got to jam your's on too, then you're probably tailgating.

So, don't say I'm part of the problem for obeying the laws - even if I don't agree with them.

And any policeman that gives me a ticket for going 15 under - which I don't do, I'll challenge in court. And - I bet I'll win.

So, if you think a guy like me is the problem, then you need to get the mirror out and think about it.

Sat, 08/23/2008 - 10:29am

Well, understand that if you do 15mph or more UNDER the limit, you can be ticketed for creating a traffic hazard. If you do not feel safe doing the speed limit, you shouldn't be on the roadway at all. In the rain, I can understand dropping speeds 5-10mph, but anymore than that, is excessive. Ensure your car is properly maintained as well. We don't need you doing 10mph under the limit causing a backup because you're suspension is blown out, or because your tires are bald.

The speed limits on these roads is VERY conservative, in all honesty, Bumper to bumper traffic can do 50mph, safely, but it all comes down to the one moron who JAMS on his brakes and causes all 200 cars behind him to jam on the brakes, causing a backup.

I actually race my car at several race tracks in the tri-state, and will tell you that LEARNING how to properly drive can enhance your confidence on the roadway greatly. When you actually get to push your car to the limits, and know how it handles allows you to be a much safer driver. Take a defensive driving course at the bare minimum. If you do not feel safe on our roads, doing the speed limit, then YOU are the problem. The speed limits on our roadways is very conservative in my opinion. It all comes down to drivers like yourself who cause more traffic. Then the state decides to make the roadway wider, and paves over half of your front lawn and you wonder why.

Sat, 08/23/2008 - 8:33am

I live in South Dennis. I use 47 frequently to Pennsylvania. Why is it that because 50, or 45, or whatever, is the post speed limit, that means you need to do that speed. It's limit, not the minimum. If you're speeding, then you're part of the problem. If you're tailgating because the guy in front isn't doing the limit, you're part of the problem. You could do the limit - it's not fast enough. You could do 10 over, it's not fast enough. Where does it end? Me, I believe the signs on curves. They're not there for nothing. I not in a hurry to get anywhere. If I feel safer doing 45 in a 50, then I'll do the 45. I'm sorry it doesn't make you happy, but pass when you have the zone to do it. If you're late for an appt or your job - then leave earlier. You should already know how long it takes to get someplace. A few extra minutes, or even 15, shouldn't be a problem. No matter what, I'm not going faster than the limit.

Fri, 08/22/2008 - 1:31pm

maybe rename the road DEATH ROAD SOUTH...... what else is it gonna take to change these accidents?

Fri, 08/22/2008 - 10:06am

Extending Rt 55 isn't going to help. The parkway is 2 lanes and that gets bumper to bumper in the summer too. It all has to bottle neck somewhere.
Its these people who are 85 years old who can't do the speed limit.

Its the same situation on Rt 9. People cant seem to do 45-50mph on this road(where permitted) 25-35mph seems about the fastest it ever moves, and it causes lines of traffic, and causes me anger because it takes me forever to get places. I dont have time to do 30mph in a 50 zone. Do 50 or get a ticket.

Fri, 08/22/2008 - 4:28am

The problem is Route 55 does not extend into Cape May County.
If you run into a slow poke who doesn't even do the speed limit on 55(and there are plenty of them), you can SAFELY pass them in the left lane. The state has made 47 even worse than it was by installing MORE traffic lights, LESS passing zones and all that does is back up traffic even more. Plus, it makes people try dangerous passing just to get around the slow pokes or the people who slow to about 20 for every curve on 47 then speed up on the straight passing zones.

If the people who live here don't matter enough to the state to complete Rte 55, what about all the tourists? Why don't we "SURVEY" them and ask how much they enjoy traveling along Rte 47 versus Rte 55? Ask them how much time it adds to their trip down the shore in the bumper to bumper grid lock of Rte 47, and how much they look forward to the gridlock experience to kick off their vacation?

Thu, 08/21/2008 - 6:41pm

people.its not the road. it is the people driving the road. maybe people shouldnt speed. and get drunk or high and go out driving.25 years living off 47 and i have yet to get in an accident. so people just need to be more careful.

Thu, 08/21/2008 - 5:38pm

Face it, RT55 being completed will never happen!
We need more police patrols in these areas of 47. Its only a 25 mile stretch, in 3 different townships, with the majority being in Middle and Dennis Twps. 12.5 miles for Middle, 12.5 miles for the State Police, it ISNT THAT HARD TO PATROL 12 MILES OF ROAD. If you have staffing problems, hire more officers. Taxes are nothing with peoples lives are at risk.

Thu, 08/21/2008 - 3:45pm

Ref to BLAH BLAH BLAH!! It's not always the shoobies. My aunt was killed on Rt 47 in South Dennis by a drunk driver from Stone Harbor! I agree that the traffic is horrible and the new lights just make it back up worse then before. I can't even get out of my street onto 47 north on a Sunday night. The poor rescue/fireman have the hardest time getting through the traffic to the accidents because no one wants to be courtesy and let anyone through. I can't even go to the mall on Saturday afternoon because the traffic is to horrible coming home, we need 55 completed.

Thu, 08/21/2008 - 3:13pm

If Rte. 47 is not a problem and such a terrific road, why doesn't everyone stay on it to head north? I can count on one hand the number of people who don't jump on Rte. 55 as quick as they can heading North. Geeze, the Cumberland Mall is on Rte 47 but I don't know of one of us locals that take Rte 47 up to that mall. We jump on Rte. 55 as soon as it starts. That alone should tell everybody what's the problem with Rte. 47............it's a one lane country road...not a highway! We funnel highway traffic southbound from a 2 lane highway into a 1 lane country road and wonder why it is the number 1 fatal accident road in all of NJ?
Do you think there is a magic number of deaths we can attain where the state will finally do something more significant than installing another traffic light, or taking out the passing lines? NAH...what am I thinking? We are after all, Cape May County, the terminal (dead) end of the state.

Thu, 08/21/2008 - 3:07pm

I HEARD ALOT OF COMMENTS ON HOW THE ROUTE 47 IS A EASY WAY TO GET IN A CAR CRASH AS A FRIEND OF THE MEMBER'S OF THE CRASH I HAPPEN TO KNOW THE DRIVER & THE PASSANGER ARE VERY CAREFULL AND WONDERFULL PEOPLE WE CANT REALLY BLAME IT ON THE DRIVER WE WERENT THERE TO WITNESS THE CRASH WE DONT KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG TO MAKE THE YOUNGMEN BE IN THE WRONG LANE AT THE TIME OF THE SCENE ALSO WITCH IS A KNOWN FACT THE YOUNG DRIVER IN THE CAR HIT THE GAURD RAIL HAD NOTHING TO DEAL WITH HITTING THE VAN ; THE POEPLE IN THE VAN HIT THE CAR ITS A SAD STORY AND ITS EVEN MORE SADIER IF YOU DO THE RESEARCH AND SEE THERE WERE 28 MURDERS IN CAR ACCENDTS IN THE PAST 10 YEARS ON THE SAME ROUTE, WE HEARD THE ROAD HAS ALOT OF TURNS AND CURVES WE BEEN THREW ENOUGH WITH LOSING OUR LOVE ONE AND PRAYING FOR THE OTHER JUST TO MAKE IT THREW THESE COMMENTS HAVE TOO STOP ITS NOT RIGHT FOR "THERE FAMILY" AND OTHERS TO HAVE A SAY ON WHAT HAPPEN IT CALLED AN "ACCDENT" FOR A REASON SO PEOPLE DONT POINT FINGERS .

Thu, 08/21/2008 - 2:41pm

Im a local that lived here all my life and I usually try avoiding rt 47 because of all the accidents and how dangerous of a road it is. But after a recent trip to South Carolina we came across a road almost exactly the same as rt 47, I felt so much more comfortable on this road because the town took the time to make the solid line in the middle wider and put rumble strips in to alert motorist that theyre going into the other lane. They also made it a law that while driving on this road you must have your headlights on or you get a fine. Why cant this town take the time to make these changes and make it a safer road for everyone.

Wed, 08/20/2008 - 4:47pm

blah,blah,blah tell the shoobies to stay home and we won't have problems more more grant mony just means the police officers union will just try to get more money because now it is money the county or township didn't have before so they will want it which will mean higher taxes, stop whinning if you don't like it stay off the roads during summer months. and the fact that they keeping changing the spped limitsa thats what makes people mad 35 to 50 back down to 45 and then to 50 nobody knows what the speed limit is half the time and that is why people crash( and a crash is an accident like it or not). stick with speed limits that are resonable and there won't be any problems........

Wed, 08/20/2008 - 4:05pm

The problem is not the road or the police patroling the road. The problem is people driving drunk and that's out of control of everyone except the person drinking. We need tuffer DUI laws. People should face jail time on the 1st offence.

Wed, 08/20/2008 - 3:58pm

I couldn't agree more with the idea of finally finishing Rt 55 and connecting it to the Parkway (where 3 more traffic lights await you). A high speed 4 lane highway that ends abruptly with a traffic light, followed by a 2 llane winding road is insane. Blame everyone but the officials that lack the back bone to finish the road as intended and put people in peril every year.

Wed, 08/20/2008 - 1:35pm

Its very nice to see all these statistics and open up but the one missing element is a driver’s lack of responsibility for their actions. Wesbter's definition of an accident is: "an unfortunate event resulting especially from carelessness or ignorance." None of these crashes were accidents. Someone was driving carelessly or recklessly.
If everyone would realize that when we get in a vehicle they have taken control of 2000-5000lbs deadly weapon. We must us the same care and control of that weapon just as we would a loaded gun.
The improvements made to the two intersections in the Dennis Twp created nothing more than continued slowed traffic on the weekends. The improvements at Rt 47 and Petersburg Road just squeezed two south bound lanes into one, with no improvements to the bridge. There is no shoulder or safe passage for bicycles. At Rt 47 and Rt 83 we got a new bridge, wider roads and a new a traffic light. It’s still the same design pattern.
The bottom line is we could spend all of our money on road improvements and patrol duties, but this will cause drivers to find alternate routes and create deadly situations on those roads. We as drivers must take responsibility for our actions, realizing that the beaches, the boardwalk and all the summer activities will still be there. It makes me laugh everytime someone passes me and we get to the same intersection 5- 0 minutes later. A life is worth far more than 5-10 minutes.

Wed, 08/20/2008 - 11:01am

Thanks for another fine investigative report from Joe Hart.

Has the grant money actually been used for this purpose? Records?

Isn't it the responsibility of the community to provide patrols to secure our safety?

Wed, 08/20/2008 - 10:59am

Thanks for another fine investigative report from Joe Hart.

Has the grant money actually been used for this purpose? Records?

Isn't it the responsibility of the community to provide patrols to secure our safety?

Wed, 08/20/2008 - 10:59am

I still say this wouldn't be happening if Route 55 was extended (4 lanes) all the way into the Wildwoods, even with overpasses and exits. I believe this can still be done. The state police do the best they can but cannot be everywhere. Unfortunately, too many people come here thinking the rules don't apply to them if they are "on vacation". More police hiding on Routes 47, 9, 83 and 550 are the answer for now.