We tested Red Bank traffic before Broad Street was closed for “Broadwalk” and again after. Here’s what we found.
By BRIAN DONOHUE
When Red Bank officials decided to close a stretch of Broad Street to traffic every summer to create a pedestrian plaza, they perhaps didn’t envision how the so-called Broadwalk would create a new annual summertime pastime for so many people.
Not, we’re not talking about enjoying a nice dinner outdoors in a setting akin to a European city plaza or taking line dancing classes in the street.
We’re talking about a new May-to-September ritual quite a few folks seem to have adopted instead: complaining about the traffic delays they say it creates.
But does Broadwalk really make traffic worse? And if so, how much worse? Are traffic wait times five percent longer? 50 percent longer? Not longer at all? No one seems to know.
Until now.
Today redbankgreen presents the first true, if very unscientific, attempt to see how Broadwalk would affect your travel time in several dire Red Bankian situations. Like, say, you ate too much of Super Foodtown‘s delicious fried chicken and had to get to Riverview Medical Center in a jiffy. Or you accepted a dumb drunken dare and had to make a beeline to jump in the Navesink River to wash hot pepper off your skin.
It’s a little bit of Gridlock Sam and a little bit of Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.
And although we hate to ruin all the fun and snuff out a new summertime tradition, we’re pretty certain it totally just settled the whole debate. Or, as timekeeper Tommy Cleary says in the video, “We’re solving this today.”
Yeah, sure we are.
Watch the video and (as if we have to ask) let us know what you think.
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
