New Red Bank Traffic Patterns Causing Confusion

A few weeks ago, some traffic lines were repainted along my daily route, and they don't seem to make any sense.

It's in the area that has quickly become the bane of my existance, Hubbard's Bridge along W. Front St. in Red Bank.

The bridge was closed for about four months in the beginning of the year to reconstruct a brand new bridge, reopening just before Memorial Day. Last month, a sudden two-week closure happened so they could finish up some electrical work and work on the two intersections on either side of the bridge.

That's where the new traffic markings come in.

The issue is when you're traveling east on Front St, heading into Red Bank, after you get over the bridge, and go under the (infamously low) train tracks, at the intersection of Shrewsbury Ave./Rector Pl.

It's one lane until you pass those train tracks, about 3 car lengths before the intersection. Before last month's closure, the left lane at the intersection was marked as left turn only. The traffic light does not have a left turn only arrow. Traffic going straight or turning right onto Shrewsbury Ave. had to use the right lane.

The problem with that is, anytime a train comes through, cars are temporarily not allowed to turn onto Shrewsbury Ave.

When the bridge reopened last month, it did so with new markings. The right lane is now right turn only, with left turning traffic and those going straight relegated to the left lane.

The problem now is...at rush hour, it's incredibly difficult to make that left turn (usually one car gets through), and few people wind up turning right, so drivers going straight are stuck behind those turning left, causing traffic to back up all the way across the bridge. The only other option is to go around the left turners, going straight through the right turn only lane...which is what has been happening now.

It's a Grade A cluster%!$&, but it seems there's no simple solution: A left turn arrow at the light, at least during high traffic times (which is basically ALWAYS in Red Bank) would help a bit, but would cause traffic delays in the opposite direction.

I suppose they could stop allowing right turns at all at that light, but that's a huge inconvenience for anyone who needs to get onto Shrewsbury Ave.

The most obvious option? Extreme patience...which is generally in short supply among drivers in New Jersey.

It just seemed slightly better before, when there was a left turn only lane. Is it just me, or does this make no sense?