Solutions Sought For Dangerous Berkeley Intersection

BERKELEY, NJ — Officials are looking for solutions to a dangerous intersection in town.

A recent bad accident on Serpentine Drive sparked calls for a traffic light and turning light to be installed at its intersection with Atlantic City Boulevard.

A petition, launched by resident Cynthia Lorenzo, explained how her daughter had been turning left onto Serpentine when another car sped up and collided with her head-on.

"If this car had hit anywhere but her engine, she could've died or been severely injured," Lorenzo wrote. "I could've lost my child in seconds."

Councilman Jim Byrnes and Mayor Carmen Amato both brought up Serpentine and other problematic intersections at a recent Township Council meeting.

"That's always been a troubled intersection," Amato said of Serpentine and Atlantic City Boulevard.

Amato suggested requesting a traffic study about possibly changing the intersection to be right-in, right-out only, but wasn't sure if the Department of Transportation would allow it because they already got them to put a light in at Frederick and are working on another one at Hickory.

"It took three fatalities and six years to get the light at Frederick Drive," Amato said.

The council agreed to formally request a traffic study to put a light at Serpentine and Atlantic City Boulevard and also to exclude left turns on the Pinewald side.