After years of anticipation, Lakewood drivers and shoppers are now benefiting from a major traffic and parking improvement in the downtown area. The southbound stretch from Clifton Avenue and 1st Street to Cedar Bridge Avenue now features two full lanes for through traffic, along with an extended left-turn lane that accommodates more vehicles. This new pattern is expected to alleviate bottlenecks along this busy corridor during peak hours, reducing travel times for drivers.
To create the additional lane space, a few parking spots along Clifton Avenue were removed. However, they have been more than replaced by a significant expansion in the nearby Municipal Parking Lot at Clifton Avenue and 1st Street. Thanks to a public-private collaboration between the Lakewood Township government and local businesses, the lot’s capacity has increased from 37 to 60 spaces.
The expansion project followed months of negotiations, real estate transactions, and complex engineering and regulatory work. Crews have been diligently clearing, repaving, and restriping the area to accommodate the new traffic pattern and expanded parking options.
The changes are expected to benefit not only drivers and shoppers but also local business owners. With improved traffic flow and increased parking availability, businesses in Downtown Lakewood are poised to see a boost in foot traffic.
“This is a genuine win-win development for all of Lakewood,” said Committeeman Meir Lichtenstein. “I would like to thank our local business owners and our partners in Township government for working together tirelessly to accomplish what we see before us today.”
