LED Flashing Flood Signals Shown to Freeholders

CREST HAVEN – Sea Isle City experiences flooding as do other barrier island municipalities. The city will buy 34 flashing signal signs that will be placed throughout its five flood zones to warn motorists and pedestrians of the water. 
At the Nov. 27 freeholder meeting, Robert Green, operations manager of Millville-based Garden State Highway Products demonstrated a small version for the board.
That’s because C.R. 619, Landis Avenue and C.R. 625, Sea Isle Boulevard and John F. Kennedy Boulevard are county roads.
Freeholder Vice-Director and Sea Isle City Mayor Leonard Desiderio declared, “Sea Isle City is moving forward with this. No shore community is immune from flooding. We feel safety is number one. We’re moving forward, and we look forward to the county joining us.”
The standard-size signal signs have solar-powered, yellow LED lights that are activated from a “smartpole.” Those poles, located in each flood zone, have a mechanism similar to a toilet’s float. When the water level reaches a pre-determined height, a signal is sent to an administrator, and the lights begin to flash.
Green said that a small camera can be installed on the signs that could see around the sign, whether the flooding is natural or possibly due to a fire hydrant flushing or a non-emergency event.
Sea Isle City Chief of Police Thomas McQuillen told the board that the city was having “more and more of these type of events.” He added that meant the loss of vehicles.
Additionally, the signal system would have flashing lights placed on the Sea Isle City and Avalon sides of Townsend’s Inlet Bridge to alert motorists if the bridge is closed.
Also, McQuillen wanted to ensure that the county’s and city’s signs were “compatible.”
Green said the signs are visible up to two miles. They can be seen in “broad daylight” as well as in fog or other low-visiblity situations. Being LED, they are very directional, which alleviated concerns of some homeowners who feared placement of the signs near their dwellings, Green said.
Green showed slides of the city’s flood zones where the signals would be placed.
Zone 1: Landis Avenue, Second through 19th streets.
Zone 2: Landis and Central avenues, 29th Street through JFK Boulevard.
Zone 3: Landis and Central avenues, JFK Boulevard to 52nd Street.
Zone 4: Sounds Avenue, Central, 56th to 63rd streets.
Zone 5: Landis Avenue, 67th through 82nd streets.
Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton was interested in the signals because of the flooding that often closes George Redding Bridge that links Lower Township and Wildwood. Without prior notice, motorists arrive at the bridge only to learn it is impassable and must turn around and detour onto Five Mile Beach another way.