By Stephen Appezzato
LINCROFT – In a long-awaited move aimed at curbing mounting traffic safety concerns along Newman Springs Road (County Route 520), the township acquired an easement to convert the access road behind Acme into a two-way street.
The announcement came during a public input session last week about conditions on Route 520. The meeting marked the second in a series of public forums held by township and county officials to address persistent safety issues along roadway.
With the easement secured, the county and township can now proceed with the traffic calming measure. According to township administrator Tony Mercantante, the township aims to have the roadwork completed by this fall.
Melanie Elmiger, direc-or of the Lincroft Village Green Association (LVGA), the civic group that has advocated for the two-way Acme Road for 25 years, noted that “several previous studies from county-hired engineering firms indicated that the two-way Acme Road must be built as a pre-condition to any other downtown area improvements to driveways or circulation.”
Once the road is up and running, “the changes to circulation and driver behavior will be studied in the months that follow and the Phase II plan will be finalized by the county and presented in a future 520 information session,” Elmiger said.
The news comes after a string of accidents along Route 520 in recent months. In late February, a driver turning left from Roma Court onto Newman Springs Road was struck by a westbound vehicle. A similar crash occurred a few weeks ago at the same intersection. In December, an elderly driver died in the hospital after a two-car crash on the road. Most recently, a pedestrian was injured while crossing Route 520 from Dunkin’ Donuts to Acme.
In response to reports of dangerous driving on Newman Springs Road, the township has ramped up police enforcement along the stretch. At last week’s meeting, Middletown Police Lt. Antonio Ciccone reported that more tickets have been issued in Lincroft. At a town meeting in March, Mayor Tony Perry noted there is a much higher rate of tickets and summons being issued along Route 520 than in oth- er areas of the township. According to the police department, as of press time, there have already been 66 motor vehicle crashes along Newman Springs Road in 2025 and 406 motor vehicle summonses have been issued.
Elmiger said the LVGA has studied the Route 520 corridor since the organization began, and road safety and traffic calming in the village is a major focus.
“What our board is most optimistic about is that Monmouth County and Middletown indicated an interest in investigating the feasibility of speed reductions, traffic calming measures, and proven safety counter-measures like a road diet (reducing the number of lanes), as long as the current and projected traffic volumes support these measures,” she said.
“There are many factors to consider, but we are most thankful for the open dialogue with our government officials and police and their steadfast support. They are all collaborating with the public and working hard to make our community safer,” Elmiger added.
However, she noted traffic safety along Route 520 is reaching a “critical point,” especially as the Middletown Planning Board awaits a presentation for the River Centre South development June 9.
“The increase in crashes and speeding in Lincroft are undeniable and likely to get worse with a possible influx of 340 residential units and a drive-thru Starbucks at Exit 109,” she explained.
Another public information session about Route 520 safety is expected this fall as officials continue gathering feedback and refining long-term plans.
In other news, the township announced that Tindall Park’s resurfaced tennis courts and newly dedicated pickleball courts are now open. Visitors are encouraged to follow open-play rules. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be announced soon.
The article originally appeared in the May 22 – 28, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
