Fatalities Climb; Two-Lane Rt. 47 Is Deadliest Road

DENNISVILLE — After Katelyn Mariana, an 18-year-old Ridley Park, Pa. woman, was killed in a car accident on Route 47 Aug. 10, the third such fatality this year, the Herald did some research and found that the long, winding two-lane state highway was by far the deadliest in Cape May County.
Since 1999, 28 people lost their lives in 27 motor vehicle crashes along the 25-mile stretch of Route 47 in this county. There has been at least one and up to four fatal accidents each year on the road during that timeframe.
Over the same period, there were 19 fatal accidents on the Garden State Parkway in this county resulting in as many deaths, while on Route 9 there were 18 accidents and 20 fatalities.
Also known as Delsea Drive, Route 47 begins at Atlantic Avenue in Wildwood, passes by a sliver of Shawcrest in Lower Township, snakes through large sections of Middle and Dennis townships until it finally crosses West Creek passing into Cumberland County.
The highway continues all the way to Route 130 in Brooklawn and was once the main land route conveying travelers from the Delaware River to the Atlantic Ocean.
The speed limit on the highway changes at different points from 40 to 45 to 50 mph. Traffic jams and accidents are common on Route 47, particularly during the summer tourist season.
With many of the fatal Route 47 crashes happening within Middle Township, Police Chief Joseph Evangelista urged motorists to be patient while traveling on the highway.
“It’s a winding road with changing speed limits and not a lot of places to pass. Some motorists become impatient and try to pass when they shouldn’t,” Evangelista told the Herald. “We’d rather see drivers take the extra time and be patient rather than having to respond to the scene of an accident.”
The chief also said drugs and alcohol are involved in many crashes including both fatal accidents that occurred this year on Route 47 in Middle Township.
In both cases, one on June 21 and the other July 21, young sober men were driving motorcycles in the afternoon along Route 47 when allegedly intoxicated drivers swerved into oncoming traffic hitting the motorcyclists head on. Evangelista said both motorcyclists 18-year-old Joshua Moren, of Vineland, and Craig Lozier, 20, of Court House did nothing wrong.
Evangelista noted that the state Division of Highway Traffic Safety (HTS) is cracking down on intoxicated drivers with its “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” campaign that combats drunk driving with high-visibility police patrols and public education tools throughout the busy end-of-summer driving season.
Both the Middle Township and Lower Township police departments received $5,000 grants to participate in the state crack down. The other local police departments are also participating in the program.
According to HTS, 205 people were killed last year as a result of alcohol-related crashes on state highways. That number represents 28 percent of the 724 traffic fatalities reported in the state. In addition, 82 of those 2007 alcohol-related fatalities occurred during the summer travel season.
“This year, in particular, as more people opt to stay close to home for late summer vacations, local and state roadways will be busier than ever,” HTS Director Pam Fischer said.
“That’s why it’s imperative that all drivers remain safe and sober. The consequences of drunk driving are tragic and can last a lifetime, and it simply won’t be tolerated on New Jersey’s roadways.”
HTS offers the following advice for ensuring a safe and enjoyable summer travel season: take mass transit, a taxicab or ask a sober friend to drive you home; spend the night where the activity is held; report impaired drivers to law enforcement by dialing #77; and always buckle up, every ride.
The mission of HTS is to reduce fatalities, injuries and property damage on state roads resulting from traffic crashes. To achieve its mission, the Division undertakes traffic safety programs with funding from the federal government, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Ed O’Connor, HTS southern regional director, told the Herald that the traffic situation on Route 47 and in Cape May County was unique.
“The area presents an interesting traffic problem,” O’Connor said. “With all of the shore towns in the county, there are huge population swells in the summer time.”
With the population, increased traffic follows.
O’Connor said that Cape May County didn’t get much funding for traffic safety projects historically, so to address the discrepancy, O’Connor met with Capt. Scott Webster of the Middle Township police in 2006.
Middle Township now gets an annual grant of over $27,000 to fund supplemental patrols targeting aggressive drivers.
Since receiving the grant, O’Connor said the township’s enforcement numbers are up and accident numbers are down.
O’Connor said the division also targets the county’s shore communities with its “Think Safety” program that emphasizes pedestrian, bicycle and motorcycle safety.
The state Department of Transportation (DOT) also tries to keep Route 47 safe by completing periodic construction projects on the road. In 2007, the DOT repaired the bridge over Dennis Creek and the interchange of Routes 47 and 83 in Dennis Township received improvements to improve safety by realigning the intersections and installing signals.
The following are fatal accidents on Route 47 since 1999:
Town Time Milepost
3/21/99 Middle 1:55 a.m. 7
8/24/00 Middle 4:46 p.m. 7.7
10/22/00 Dennis 1:30 a.m. 18.4
11/29/00 Dennis 12:38 a.m. 22.1
4/29/01 Middle 9:31 a.m. 10.4
1/8/02 Middle 1:57 a.m. 7
1/19/02 Dennis 12:26 p.m. 23.8
4/16/02 Middle 6:31 a.m. 11.2
8/31/02 Middle 1:25 a.m. 9.5
5/19/03 Middle 2:57 p.m. 15.3
6/9/03 Middle 4:05 a.m. 15.9
6/16/04 Middle 9:15 p.m. 3.1
9/25/04 Dennis 1:59 p.m. 19.3
12/24/04 Middle 6:30 p.m. 13.7
6/11/05 Middle 3:16 a.m. 14.2
9/4/05 Middle 11:33 a.m. 13.5
12/31/05 Middle 8:24 p.m. 15.8
6/15/06 Middle 11:56 a.m. 6.5
6/25/06 Lower 3:16 a.m. 0.9
7/15/06 Middle 10:07 p.m. 15.9
3/3/07 Dennis 4:04 p.m. 17.1
4/30/07 Middle 9:57 a.m. 7.7
7/13/07 Middle 2:43 p.m. 5.2
12/15/07 Dennis 9:46 p.m. 20.9
6/21/08 Middle 3:43 p.m. 15.8
7/21/08 Middle 1:00 p.m. 10
8/10/08 Dennis 9:52 p.m. 18.5
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com