May 17, 2016, from Matt Ruggiero.
From Matteo Ruggiero:
“Is this a blatant disregard for authority or simply the inability to read the written word?
“Why do we, as residents of the block have to suffer rubbish in our street simply because this person was negligent and non-compliant?
Between the (4) residences in our block, there are (9) vehicles total…none of which were parked illegally blocking the Street Sweeper from completing their rounds!
“Where is the Parking Enforcement?
“Picture was taken on Central Ave @ 10:00 am today Tuesday 17th., 3 1/2 hours after the street was to be cleared of all vehicles.”
Heck Avenue near Whitefield. Paul Goldfinger photo 5/17/16.
Editor’s note regarding the Heck Avenue photo above: One car on that block remained in place, and you could see the trail of the sweeper as it went around the vehicle.
The sign on the ground may have blown down, but did someone deposit it on the ground in protest or anger? I saw a sign on Mt. Hermon that someone took down (or maybe it blew down) and stuck it under the windshield wiper of an errant vehicle.
As for the graffiti, is it artistic expression or something else?
As Millie points out in the comments, this is nothing new, but we can still talk about it. And we can listen to Harry James and Helen Forrest regarding a similar theme: (From Hannah and Her Sisters)
In addition to not getting to the curb because of parked cars, there is also the issue of low hanging tree branches where the sweeper cannot fit under, and worse, where plant boxes and other ornamental objects are installed jutted out along the curbline by homeowners looking to deter others from parking in front of their houses. I’m sure those permanent installations were done without the proper approvals
Let’s get to the root of it…is the street sweeping even effective? To me, it looks like there is a little trail of water left in the wake of the machine (at least in years past) and very little difference in the cleanliness of the street. We can all do a better job by sweeping and hosing our own areas. Neptune should just sell the machines and save us the hassle.
It’s our understanding that referring to street sweeping as an emergency gives the Township the authority to demand that you move your cars.
Like I said, “What’s the emergency?”
It is my understanding that the Township may have another motive for conducting sweeps other than clean streets. The word is that the Town gets money from the State for doing sweeps.
OGTS: I was in Firemen’s Park today when they came by to staple a sign on the same pole where they put one a few days ago. (northwest corner at the intersection of Mt Hermon and Delaware)
So I asked why they were sweeping again. The stapler-in-chief told me that the signs not only designate which side of the street would be swept but also which avenue at the intersection. (i.e. Delaware or Mt. Hermon). He said that last time they did Delaware, and this time they will do Mt. Hermon. I said, “This is confusing,” and he agreed. So signs at intersections are especially problematic.
After he left I took a closer look. The sign was exactly the same (except for the day and date) and was put in exactly the same place it was placed a few days ago. This procedure is clearly a FUBAR, and it is complicated. An engineer is required or else somebody to knock on doors as happened last week on behalf of the water company which was going to turn off the water on certain streets.
And, by the way, the reason why there is an ordinance against stapling signs on utility poles is supposedly because the staples are dangerous to workers who have to climb those poles.
So how come the Township’s staples pose no danger to the workers? Hypocrisy run amok.
And if you think that it is stupid to fret over this situation, consider what’s involved for those of us who live here, and consider the precedent of unequal justice under the law.
I don’t think that those paper signs have any weight to them, no ordinance to enforce. You can’t just throw up a no parking sign and then ticket and tow cars without an ordinance being in place to give the sign legal authority.
Places where cars can be ticketed and towed would be the Main Ave. business area and Ocean Ave where there are ordinances in place.
If they passed an ordinance for no parking during this week’s cleaning, that would be different, but I don’t think that happened.
Another thing, why is it no parking on the north and east one day and then south and west? Wouldn’t it be less confusing if they kept it consistent with the snow emergency restrictions? They should do north and west and then south and east (wish they would also do south and east after it snows).
I don’t think any of this really matters as I’m sure there was more dirt left on my street after they came by then was there before they came anyway.
Why don’t they use the robo-call system in these circumstances?
Residents who will be out of town or snow birds who warehouse cars in town need to arrange for them to be moved as well. Citizens are supposed to arrange for sidewalk snow removal; why not vehicle moving?
Ticket and tow should be the standard procedure as it is in most towns.
Asbury streets across the Lake are swept weekly. You’d think Neptune could at least do it monthly. It might actually help the water quality of the lakes since runoff is such a problem.
My street was never touched by the sweeper this year, by the way, and it’s one of the shortest and narrowest in town.
Editor’s note: Are you the old lady who lives in a shoe or are you skinny bilink the barber? Is your street narrower than Lombard Street in San Francisco?
The signs fail to meet NJ Motor Vehicle standards. All signs must conform to the Federal Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices, which state that “all signs” (repeat, “ALL”) must be 7′ from the nearest edge of the pavement (exception for rural areas where it is 5′)
NJ Motor Vehicle Statute 39:4-198
39:4-198. No ordinance, resolution or regulation enacted, passed, or adopted by local authorities nor any regulation adopted by the Commissioner of Transportation under any power given by this chapter or any supplement thereto shall be effective unless due notice thereof is given to the public by placing a sign at the places where the ordinance, resolution or regulation is effective, and by briefing its provisions on signs according to specifications contained in this chapter or as specified by the current Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for streets and highways.
MUTCD Section 2A.18 Mounting Height
Standard:
Signs installed at the side of the road in rural districts shall be at least 1.5 m (5 ft), measured from the bottom of the sign to the near edge of the pavement.
Where parking or pedestrian movements occur (as in Ocean Grove), the clearance to the bottom of the sign shall be at least 2.1 m (7 ft).
I would suggest sending your concerns to Mayor McMillan at Neptune Municipal Building.
I totally agree with Millie. The operations in this town are questionable at best. The use of tax payer money for such disorganization and spotty quality is a disgrace. I am sure the residents of Spring Lake or Sea Girt would never put up with such poor quality- why do we? The project management and execution of the projects needs a complete overhaul. Who do we send our complaints to?
What’s the point of sweeping only once a year? In every picture I’ve seen the curbs looks relatively clean to start with. And from that last photo above, the dirt that the sweeper leaves in its wake is just going to wind up back in the curb again anyway.
They should have swept one side of the street Monday and the other side of the street Tuesday. Instead, now they wait a couple of days to go the other side and the swept side is dirty already from the other side blowing onto it.
Also, perhaps some people didn’t get the memo to move their car–because they aren’t in town?
I won’t be in town until next week and now I have to keep my car parked across the street until I get back. I like to have the car in front of my home while not there, for many reasons, especially when out of the country. But I want my street cleaned, so I have no choice.
Street sweeping has always been a problem in Ocean Grove. And yes, there is the occasional person who has complete disrespect for authority and they should be ticketed.
But the real problem is the incompetence of Township management. A crew of employees spent the day on Saturday (and I’m sure they were paid overtime) to post paper thin signs affixed insecurely on various signs and poles. Within hours they had all blown away on our street.
This fiasco happens every single year and is a total waste of taxpayer money. You would think by now they would have figured out a way to post durable signs in a secure manner. It’s not rocket science!
Millie