Lawrence Brook Residents Ask Council, Mayor for Help with Turnpike Noise

The ongoing construction at Exit 9 of the NJ Turnpike has been intrusive and disruptive to the Lawrence Brook community, residents say, and despite a recent halt to that work, they hope the council will keep their interests in mind.

A number of Lawrence Brook residents went before the council on Monday night, thanking the mayor and council for serving as liaisons on their behalf in talks with the Turnpike Authority. They said that while they were thankful for the help, the noise they hear in their homes from construction is still a problem.

Work on theTurnpike near Exit 9 includes widening the ramp that connects Route 18 southbound to the turnpike to two lanes, and improvements the merge from the exit ramp onto Route 18 north.

Nearby residents said they're concerned not only about the noise, but with pedestrian safety in the area, with increased street parking, and that they did not trust  the Turnpike Authority during the process.     

Resident Sue Martin told the council of her childhood memories of dealings with the Turnpike Authority when her family's home on Westons Mill Road was part of an Eminent Domain lawsuit.

Ultimately, her father was able to win in court to keep the house, but it placed a strain on her family, and the noise and safety concerns of the current construction is a strain on the neighborhood's current residents, she said.

"Please keep on fighting for us," she said.

The level of intrusion into the lives of nearby residents has been a standing issue with the turnpike expansion project, and recently, the Turnpike Authority announced that construction at Westons Mill Road would be halted for a few weeks while a study was conducted on the effect of vibrations generated by the construction on nearby homes.

Mayor David Stahl said he is meeting with Turnpike Authority representatives daily to address concerns of residents over the effects of construction on nearby neighborhoods.

Despite the statement from the Turnpike Authority claiming a two to three week break in construction, a date has not been set to resume Westons Mill Road construction, he said.

Plains detailing the construction are available for residents to view in the township's municipal offices, he said.

Discussions of feasible solutions to ease the noise and vibrations felt in the homes of nearby residents are slow, Stahl said, but they are happening.

"We will continue to advocate on your behalf," he said.

Watch the testimony of Lawrence Brook residents here, via EBTV.