By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Motorists will continue to see barriers and “Road Closed” signs at construction projects in Sea Isle City. What they probably won’t be seeing as much are cops directing traffic.
In a cost-cutting move, City Council has introduced an ordinance that will end the practice of having off-duty police officers provide traffic control at construction sites.
Police, though, will still be on the scene at major construction projects or when there is a need for extra traffic safety.
The proposed ordinance, scheduled for a public hearing and final vote at the Council meeting on Jan. 14, will rescind a 2011 law allowing police officers to work for city road contractors during off-duty hours.
“In 2011, the city decided to experiment with cooperating contractors to do that,” City Solicitor Paul Baldini said.
Baldini explained that road contractors are required by law to have some form of traffic control at their construction sites. The options include having a flagman, setting up detours or paying for police officers.
But having traffic officers stationed at construction sites is an added cost to taxpayers because contractors include that expense in their bids for city projects, Baldini said.
Over the past four years, it has cost the city an average of $7,000 annually to have cops direct traffic at roadway projects, Baldini said, citing figures given to him by Sea Isle Police Chief Tom McQuillen.
If Council approves the new ordinance, the city is expected to use more road barriers and detour signs to direct traffic around work sites. Many other New Jersey towns rely on barriers and signs for traffic control, Baldini said.
Sea Isle police officers would still be used for traffic control or more safety at major construction sites, especially during the busy summer tourism season, Baldini added.
Construction contractors pay the city a fee of $60 per hour for traffic cops. Baldini said $50 goes to the off-duty police officers, while the remaining $10 is kept by the city as an administrative fee.
Police officers are not paid overtime for directing traffic during off-duty hours, he said.
Councilwoman Mary Tighe, who pushed to have the 2011 law rescinded, questioned whether police officers truly are needed for traffic control at most road construction sites, especially during the quiet off-season months.
“If it’s a security issue and a safety issue, I certainly understand, especially in the summer. I think it’s a little overkill in the offseason,” Tighe said in an interview.
Tighe said she did not want to put the onus on Sea Isle’s taxpayers to pay for traffic cops.
“We have enough issues in town where money could be used elsewhere,” she said.
