NEWS

Millville principal, cops target cut-through drivers

Joseph P. Smith

@jpsmith_dj

Lakeside Middle School principal Spike Cook (left), and Millville traffic safety patrolman Rick Kott stand near a light up sign placed to prevent cars from using the school's property as a cut through to the neighboring Target store, Tuesday, May 25, 2016 in Millville.

MILLVILLE - Lakeside Middle School is saying no to unauthorized traffic in big, flashing lights.

On Wednesday, a police electronic billboard took station in its main driveway off North Sharp Street. The billboard will stay for one or two weeks, but there are plans for a series of chain barriers and permanent “no through traffic” signs to be installed.

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The flashing billboard message tells drivers not to cut through the school’s parking lot to get to the adjacent Union Lake Crossing Shopping Center off North 2nd Street. For now, Officer Rick Kott said it’s a friendly request to drivers to change their habits.

“We always want the first part to be education,” Kott said. “If for some reason the problem seems to persist, we’ll reevaluate it then.”

Officials at Lakeside Middle School have come up with a strategy to prevent cars from using the school's property as a cut through to the neighboring Target store, Tuesday, May 25, 2016 in Millville.

Principal Spike Cook said shoppers have been using the Lakeside parking lot to avoid traffic and traffic lights since the shopping center opened. An access road to the shopping center runs by an opening to the northern end of the parking lot.

The middle school is at 2 North Sharp St.

Sharp Street probably is the second busiest roadway in Millville, and northbound traffic often backs up where it meets North High Street.

“The problem is we have a school here,” Cook said. “And we have kids out at gym class. There’s a bunch of different things that …. are going on. We’ve had a couple close calls.”

The school actually has a chain barrier installed at the access road, but Cook said using it would be counterproductive.

“Because people are going to come all the way back, they’re going to see the chain there, then they’re going to go all the way back through,” he said.

Lakeside Middle School principal Spike Cook talks near a light up sign placed to prevent cars from using the school's property as a cut through to the neighboring Target store, Tuesday, May 25, 2016 in Millville.

Kott said it is illegal under New Jersey law to use private property, including school property, to avoid traffic lights. The access road running behind the Target department store in the shopping center also is not a proper street and was not intended for regular use, he said.

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“So we’ve combined our efforts to try to make it as safe as possible and give the public a heads up — ‘Hey, please, don’t do this,’” Kott said.

Cook said the new measures are not directed at drivers who are coming to the school or to use the athletic fields behind the school.

Joseph P. Smith; (856) 563-5252; jsmith@gannettnj.com