The causeway bridge repair, and why I need a better gun!

[Larry1851 0]

Ok, I'm gonna rant a bit...

 

If you've tried to visit LBI recently, you may have been stuck in traffic attempting to pass over the causeway. This in and of itself is not the issue. The bridge needs the repair and traffic is a consequence. I get it. However, today...was a major fiasco. Traffic was in a dead stop and backed up on the island for over an hour and a half.

 

I watched this scene unfold from my store (I'm a manager for a local retailer here on the island). It took over an hour for a police presence to arrive and start directing traffic. I have nothing against them at all. Hell, I know half of them. But they should have been there sooner. Several people bailed out of their cars, parked off to the side and used our store's restroom. No problem there. People were, however, "stressed". In fact, there was a report of some guy who asked a homeowner if he could use their bathroom and when was told no, he became belligerent. More police came on the scene and apparently removed the person.

 

So it got me thinking... This was just a traffic issue! What if this was a real emergency like a full out evacuation in a hurricane or worse and people wouldn't cooperate? I don't know about you, But I'm not letting anyone in my house I don't know regardless of whether they have to take a crap or not! Not to mention the fact that if people got crazy enough, they would start coming into the store and just start taking stuff they needed, if they were desperate enough.

 

Anyway, I realize I'm preaching to the crowd here. Hopefully a doomsday scenario won;t happen. But if it does, my rimfire and old WWII guns ain't gonna cut it!

 

There...I feel better now.

[tony357 386]

definatly sucks that this work has to be done during spring and summer hours..

 

dred the few boats i have to do their this season.. i have 4 spring tunes on the island.

 

talked to my buddy today who is opening houses on the ilsand and he told me that he was working late not to get caught in the traffic today..

[rscalzo 3]

. The bridge needs the repair

 

Many transportation areas need repair. the problem is that the NJ Transportation Trust Fund that finances those projects has been bankrupt for a few years. The fund was financed mainly by the NJ tax on gas among other things. They were talking of adding a few cents to the gas tax but there was too much of an outcry so they dropped the idea. NJ gas is cheaper than many other states and that is the reason. The Feds financed many of the projects in the past but those days are gone for the most part.

 

 

It took over an hour for a police presence to arrive

Get used to it. The shore towns use many part timers to cover the work during the summer months. During the off season they let the ranks drop to less full time officers. Budgets have reduced those ranks below past years and even the part timers are finding many towns are not hiring for the summer months.

 

But let's face it. Bumber to bumper traffic in to LBI. Certainly not unheard of. It's been that way for years. A friend and former co-worker lives on the Island year around. He just stays put during the summer and doesn't try to leave.

[djg0770 481]

The NJ transportation trust fund is/was just another bucket of money that the state raided whenever it felt like it in order to make ends meet.

[tony357 386]

The traffic lights should not even be turned on yet so traffic should not even be a problem, imagine when that happens. forget it..

 

anyone in need of a boat to go lbi and back let me know i have a few for sale..

[rscalzo 3]

When you live on an island, you either get used to such events or move off the island. Two lanes in, two lanes out. Get one breakdown and fifty percent of those lanes are shut down. Get a major accident, and you better bring a picnic lunch. LBI has got to be one of the most is isolated areas in the state. A boat isn't a bad idea. My friend whose parents moved their many years ago has a boat ready year around. Jetski maybe?

 

Years back southern NJ was a seasonal area. That started to change years ago when full time residents started moving in.

 

LBI has a lot less in the way of traffic In the winter but the weathers getting nicer and everyones eager to get out of the house. For years every March we took a bike ride to Cape May from northern NJ mid March. It the weather was nice, traffic was almost summer level and the town itself was jammed.

 

That's why my friend likes the colder months. The island is quiet and he has some piece. As he's in a tourist related business, all the screwballs start arriving within a few weeks ending his rest and relaxation.

[Larry1851 0]

It's not so much the traffic. It was how people started to react when they couldn't get off the island.

[tony357 386]

people are too much anymore, way over dramatic.. should have told them you heard a rogue wave was coming..

[rscalzo 3]

This is the state where the threat of a two inch snow storm can trigger panic buying of milk, eggs and bread.

 

Many years back due to a major accident in Bergen County on Route 3 we had to shut down the entire highway later at night. Traffic was going no where and I was going no where as there was no escape route. After answering the question of "what's going on?" a thousand times, we starting just making things up. Alien Landing. Plane Crash. Presidential Visit. Struck Oil in the Center Lane.

 

What we really needed was a catering truck stuck up there with us. He could have made a fortune.

[kenw 293]

This is the state where the threat of a two inch snow storm can trigger panic buying of milk, eggs and bread.

 

Many years back due to a major accident in Bergen County on Route 3 we had to shut down the entire highway later at night. Traffic was going no where and I was going no where as there was no escape route. After answering the question of "what's going on?" a thousand times, we starting just making things up. Alien Landing. Plane Crash. Presidential Visit. Struck Oil in the Center Lane.

 

What we really needed was a catering truck stuck up there with us. He could have made a fortune.

As well as water, and for some ridiculous reason, toilet paper.

[XDJohnTact 49]

definatly sucks that this work has to be done during spring and summer hours..

 

dred the few boats i have to do their this season.. i have 4 spring tunes on the island.

 

talked to my buddy today who is opening houses on the island and he told me that he was working late not to get caught in the traffic today..

Tony, just take a boat ride over with your toolbox!

[Wolfy 51]

Yea give you an excuse to use your boat.

[XDJohnTact 49]

When I kept my boat in Brick, my son and I would get up early and take the little boat up to Bay Head, tie up to the bulkhead and walk to the beach to Belly Board for a couple of hours. No traffic, no parking meters!

[Greydaddy 2]

Anybody remember when the bridges were wooden plank?

[XDJohnTact 49]

I remember some small bridges with wooden planks (there are still some covered bridges in PA with wooden planks). Was the Causeway originally wood?

[rscalzo 3]

There was a small bridge from NJ to PA that was privately owned. they charged a small toll and I seem to remember that being wooden planks.

 

I used to take my boat just off the Barnaget Inlet and anchor in a small cove. Walk over the dunes and I was it the beach. No traffic to worry about. One of the advantages to having a rotating shift was days off mid week in the summer. Traffic was lighter than weekends and no one was on the beach.

[XDJohnTact 49]

I believe you may be talking about Tices Shoals. When my son was younger, we used to spend the day at Tices, then run across the bay for Dinner at the Captain's Inn in Forked river, then motor on home. Now that area is PACKED on the weekend with hundreds of boats.

[rscalzo 3]

Tices Shoals

 

That's it. For the life of me I couldn't remember the name. I learned of it from my boss at the time who was into boating. When the weather was nice it was a great ride down from my marina in Pt. Pleasant.

 

When I went mid-week I was lucky to see another boat. Other times I'd anchor just before the Seaside bridge in one of those coves. Midweek...no one. Weekends I couldn't even find a spot to drop the anchor. then I'd have to contend with the idiots roaring around at thirty knows and the others on jet skis cutting everyone off. One weekend some kids were screwing around and one slammed into the side of a boat. Luckily no serious injuries but that made me see that weekends down the shore were not worth the aggravation.

 

Up here we have a lot of restaurants accessible by boat. All are fresh lobster and clam huts. Nothing like a lobster that was caught a day or so earlier steamed with butter. I almost wish I had by boat up here. I'm about ten minutes from the ocean by boat.

[XDJohnTact 49]

Oh man, I loved vacationing up in Bar Harbor! My wife and I had Lobster every night!

 

I know what you mean about the weekends, when I was working and we spent the summer on the boat, all our boating and fishing trips were mid-week. I would never go through the Pt. Pleasant Canal on a weekend!

 

After I retired and moved to Toms River, I sold our boat and now go out boating and fishing with my sister and brother in law. So much less stress when I only have to Crew on the boat. Tomorrow morning we are going to take the cover off and put up the full enclosure on the bridge.

[Greydaddy 2]

Better late than never; yes!

[NJ609 22]

Just wait to see what people do when the whole damn country runs out of money. Ah good times....

[XDJohnTact 49]

Just print more?

[NJ609 22]

Just print more?

 

If I could find a black and white picture of a German lady with a bucket full of money to buy a loaf of bread I'd post it.... lol

[kenw 293]

I couldn't find the old lady with a bucket of cash, but I think this one drives the point home pretty well

[Malsua 1,422]

Zimbabwe...much more recent than the wheelbarrows used in the Weimar Republic.