GPS Guides ‘Em Wrong, Rio Woman Says

RIO GRANDE – Geraldine Kirk of this community is convinced GPS (global positioning system) devices, widely used in vehicles, are steering drivers the wrong way on Old Rio Grande Avenue (C.R. 634). 
She lives in the area where Old Rio Grande Avenue (a.k.a. Wildwood Boulevard) and Sixth Street converges. Because of that, she daily witnesses countless vehicles whose drivers disregard signs warning: “All Thru Traffic” (with a left arrow), “No Outlet” (yellow and black), and finally, “End of Road” atop a metal guide rail. Only then does it occur to them that the GPS directions to Wildwood have given them a wrong turn.
Concerned that a head-on collision will take place because of the widespread disregard, or total dependence on GPS devices, Kirk spoke to freeholders July 12.
“Where I live on Sixth and Old Rio Grande Avenue there are nine signs before you get there. The GPS sends them up to Route 47. It’s dangerous,” Kirk told the board.
A Herald reporter visited the site July 13 shortly after noon. Timothy Donohue, county road supervisor, was present tallying errant vehicles.
He told a reporter that the county had a crew out earlier that morning to clear trash and debris from the street-end warning and guide rail.
As he spoke, three vehicles, two with out-of-state license plates, went east on the street, only to meet the road’s end, and then had to turn around, bolstering Kirk’s claim.
Kirk said on the Memorial Day Weekend, Middle Township police issued 40 tickets. “They (police) are constantly there,” Kirk said. “But they have other issues. Once people see drivers and an officer they make a U-turn,” she said.
Having contacted everyone she knew who might be able to help, Kirk went to freeholders as a last resort.
“It could be your mother, daughter or son in that position,” Kirk said.
Kirk cited Rio Grande’s rapid growth, and acknowledged Sixth and Old Rio Grande Avenue “is not in the main stream.”
“Where do I go from here?” questioned Kirk. “I’m just a normal citizen. I am trying to get some help.”
“We are going to look into the procedure, however we do that,” Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton replied.
“This is the first time this ever has come up with GPS,” Thornton said. “I use it. I was on my way to a South Jersey freeholders’ meeting in Salem County. The GPS took me to an empty lot at the end of a street. We will try to help you, but I don’t know what we can do,” he concluded.
County Engineer Dale Foster said the road was changed when Route 47 was upgraded.
GPS data is contained in databases, just who to contact about getting a correction made to Kirk’s concern was not immediately known.