thedrifter
02-04-07, 04:19 AM
Base drive still a bummer
February 04,2007
CHRISSY VICK
Daily News Staff
Mike Hunter remembers when he moved to Jacksonville more than 20 years ago with the Marine Corps.
Getting on and off Camp Lejeune even back then could be a hassle.
"When I was a Marine in 1982, I remember waiting in traffic at 6 a.m. to get on base and the same when I came home," Hunter said.
Today, Hunter manages Britt Motorsports on Lejeune Boulevard. He sees the traffic back up daily just the way it did in 1982.
"It's always been this way," said Hunter, pointing to a row of cars.
Historically, Jacksonville's most congested commuter area is Lejeune Boulevard from 6 to 8 a.m. or 4 to 6 p.m. Those are the peak hours when Marines and sailors filter on and off Camp Lejeune for a day's work. Eastbound cars on N.C. 24 regularly back up in the right two lanes while going through the main gate on base in the morning.
Three lanes of congestion are a problem for drivers traveling westbound on N.C. 24 leading up to Western Boulevard, particularly as lights turn red during peak afternoon hours. There's congestion where Piney Green Road intersects with N.C. 24, too.
Chance Blackmer, a Navy corpsman, has to commute to Camp Lejeune daily from his home off Corbin Street, which intersects N.C. 24. What should be a 10-minute commute takes anywhere from 25 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic. To get home around 4:30 or 5 p.m. in the afternoon it takes around 45 minutes, he said.
"It took me an hour at least to get to work from the air station when I lived there last year," he said. "The worst time to go to work is about 6:10 to 6:15 a.m. Traffic can get backed up all the way from the main gate to the light at Corbin Street. That's a long way."
Even taking the Piney Green gate doesn't offer a swifter trip, he said.
"You can try to use a different gate if you can, but that is even a problem because the Piney Green gate is only a two-lane road and you get stuck in bumper to bumper traffic," Blackmer said. "You really can't beat the traffic unless you want to go to work early."
The problem
John Jackson, co-owner of Abby's Antiques on Lejeune Boulevard, has a prime viewing spot of traffic filtering on and off Camp Lejeune.
"It's very, very busy in the morning and afternoon," he said. "I've had a lot of customers say the traffic keeps them from coming to the store."
Base officials have blocked the median turn-around that would allow eastbound travelers along N.C. 24 to get to Abby's the quickest. That measure is an attempt to keep traffic flowing smoother.
"But that gives drivers almost a 2 -mile turn-around, which means they can't get to us at all," Jackson said, adding that the measure was tried before and removed after complaints from businesses near Abby's.
Hunter remembers when N.C. 24 was only two lanes in front of Britt Motorsports, just west of Camp Lejeune. And though the road has expanded to six lanes, the traffic is still congested, he said.
That is due to the city's growth since then, said Capt. Tim Akers, traffic supervisor at the Jacksonville Police Department.
"The traffic has actually gotten thicker in that area over recent years due to the influx of businesses and families," he said. "These are just some of the things we have to contend with as the city and base grows."
And Camp Lejeune will continue to grow.
"The Marine Corps overall has been authorized by Congress to reach an end strength of 202,000 Marines in five years," said Lt. Craig Thomas with base public affairs. "We are licensed to increase 5,000 Marines each year for the whole Marine Corps, so eventually Lejeune is going to see their fair share of that increase of Marines."
Other variables that increase traffic are days before and after holidays, pay days and post-deployments, said Gunnery Sgt. Daniel Schismenos, traffic division chief for the Provost Marshal's Office at Camp Lejeune.
"When the Marines get back and their families get back, there is always an increase of personnel and an increase in volumes of traffic coming on and off base," he said.
The progress
The key to easing Jacksonville and Camp Lejeune's growing pains on local drivers is working together, according to local officials. Akers says the Police Department is in daily contact with the base.
"We have to have the partnerships because we just can't do it by ourselves," he said. "But when we partner with the base, city officials, business community, state and other agencies, we get more done faster."
The base is currently conducting traffic surveys with Jacksonville and recommendations are being made regularly to ease the congestion, Schismenos said. One such recommendation is to open another gate for access to the base or to construct a bridge connecting Camp Lejeune to Tarawa Terrace.
Both ideas would require high amounts of funding and could be a long way off, according to base officials.
But smaller steps are being taken to try to ease traffic, including allowing traffic lights to stay green longer on N.C. 24, erecting signs along the road and opening the Piney Green gate for base employees. Officials are removing traffic cones that line N.C. 24 in the morning to funnel base traffic through the main gate, Akers said.
"We're going to see if that will lighten things up a little bit, and drivers will not be as confused with all of the cones," he said. "We're doing a 30-day trial and error and we'll just adjust after that."
Commanders are also encouraged to bring Marines in at staggered hours so not everyone comes to work at the same time, Thomas said. Officials are also hoping Jacksonville's Rails to Trails program will help.
The biking and walking trail is currently being constructed where old rail lines once were and will allow pedestrians and cyclists to travel to Camp Lejeune through the main gate.
"We hope by doing that to encourage people to ride bikes or walk to work," Akers said. "Programs like that will have a long-term bigger impact than the citizens see. They see the immediate tax money spent, but the big picture is it will cut down on traffic, injuries and fatalities."
While there is no quick fix to the traffic issue, Akers says such small steps are a way of "looking to the future."
One big piece of that is continual education on driving safety.
"We've tried to make people knowledgeable, to make sure Marines are educated on driving - that they don't speed or tailgate," Thomas said.
Schismenos says that is the most important part of the traffic issue.
"Since a majority of Marines live off base, whatever we do affects the community," he said. "If we can teach Marines better and safer driving habits, that affects everyone."
Base officials conduct regular traffic safety briefs and Marines under age 26 are required to attend a driver's improvement course, Schismenos said. Those who drive ATVs, government vehicles, motorcycles or mopeds are required to undergo a safety course.
"It's an ongoing issue and we're trying to be proactive," he said. "We know it doesn't just affect the base. Camp Lejeune is a part of Onslow County, so we're trying to better what we can for the community."
The positive
Jackson says that while the traffic can have a negative effect on his business, it can also have a positive effect.
"I think it helps people see us and want to stop by, even if that is later," he said. "You've got to look at the advantages and disadvantages. Yes, it creates problems, but it also creates opportunities."
The traffic problem has increased communication between the base, the city and the businesses in the area, he said.
"You just have to grin and bear it sometimes," Jackson said. "I think it's wonderful the way the base and city have worked together."
Hunter says he focuses on the fact that Jacksonville traffic is miniscule compared to big cities like Washington or Long Island, N.Y.
"It's crazy up there," he said. "This traffic is nothing compared to that. I lived in Long Island for a while and the traffic starts at 4 a.m. and lasts all day. This usually only lasts an hour."
In 1982, Hunter said that after a long weekend Marines and sailors had to undergo a full search before entering Camp Lejeune, which could cause him to sit in traffic for two or three hours.
"I don't think people really have anything to complain about now," he said. "If everybody would be patient, it wouldn't be that bad."
Schismenos recommends that drivers avoid N.C. 24 during peak hours if possible, or take short cuts. If east-bound drivers are passing through towards Swansboro, they should remain in the left lane and avoid multiple lane changes, he said.
Akers says the most important thing is to drive defensively, allow extra time for traveling and be patient.
"When the city is growing, people get agitated and they get impatient," he said. "But they need to drive defensively and not aggressively. When base and city traffic is thick, slower is faster - you get there a whole lot faster if you do the speed limit."
Contact staff writer Chrissy Vick at cvick@freedomenc.com or by calling 353-1171, ext. 239.
February 04,2007
CHRISSY VICK
Daily News Staff
Mike Hunter remembers when he moved to Jacksonville more than 20 years ago with the Marine Corps.
Getting on and off Camp Lejeune even back then could be a hassle.
"When I was a Marine in 1982, I remember waiting in traffic at 6 a.m. to get on base and the same when I came home," Hunter said.
Today, Hunter manages Britt Motorsports on Lejeune Boulevard. He sees the traffic back up daily just the way it did in 1982.
"It's always been this way," said Hunter, pointing to a row of cars.
Historically, Jacksonville's most congested commuter area is Lejeune Boulevard from 6 to 8 a.m. or 4 to 6 p.m. Those are the peak hours when Marines and sailors filter on and off Camp Lejeune for a day's work. Eastbound cars on N.C. 24 regularly back up in the right two lanes while going through the main gate on base in the morning.
Three lanes of congestion are a problem for drivers traveling westbound on N.C. 24 leading up to Western Boulevard, particularly as lights turn red during peak afternoon hours. There's congestion where Piney Green Road intersects with N.C. 24, too.
Chance Blackmer, a Navy corpsman, has to commute to Camp Lejeune daily from his home off Corbin Street, which intersects N.C. 24. What should be a 10-minute commute takes anywhere from 25 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic. To get home around 4:30 or 5 p.m. in the afternoon it takes around 45 minutes, he said.
"It took me an hour at least to get to work from the air station when I lived there last year," he said. "The worst time to go to work is about 6:10 to 6:15 a.m. Traffic can get backed up all the way from the main gate to the light at Corbin Street. That's a long way."
Even taking the Piney Green gate doesn't offer a swifter trip, he said.
"You can try to use a different gate if you can, but that is even a problem because the Piney Green gate is only a two-lane road and you get stuck in bumper to bumper traffic," Blackmer said. "You really can't beat the traffic unless you want to go to work early."
The problem
John Jackson, co-owner of Abby's Antiques on Lejeune Boulevard, has a prime viewing spot of traffic filtering on and off Camp Lejeune.
"It's very, very busy in the morning and afternoon," he said. "I've had a lot of customers say the traffic keeps them from coming to the store."
Base officials have blocked the median turn-around that would allow eastbound travelers along N.C. 24 to get to Abby's the quickest. That measure is an attempt to keep traffic flowing smoother.
"But that gives drivers almost a 2 -mile turn-around, which means they can't get to us at all," Jackson said, adding that the measure was tried before and removed after complaints from businesses near Abby's.
Hunter remembers when N.C. 24 was only two lanes in front of Britt Motorsports, just west of Camp Lejeune. And though the road has expanded to six lanes, the traffic is still congested, he said.
That is due to the city's growth since then, said Capt. Tim Akers, traffic supervisor at the Jacksonville Police Department.
"The traffic has actually gotten thicker in that area over recent years due to the influx of businesses and families," he said. "These are just some of the things we have to contend with as the city and base grows."
And Camp Lejeune will continue to grow.
"The Marine Corps overall has been authorized by Congress to reach an end strength of 202,000 Marines in five years," said Lt. Craig Thomas with base public affairs. "We are licensed to increase 5,000 Marines each year for the whole Marine Corps, so eventually Lejeune is going to see their fair share of that increase of Marines."
Other variables that increase traffic are days before and after holidays, pay days and post-deployments, said Gunnery Sgt. Daniel Schismenos, traffic division chief for the Provost Marshal's Office at Camp Lejeune.
"When the Marines get back and their families get back, there is always an increase of personnel and an increase in volumes of traffic coming on and off base," he said.
The progress
The key to easing Jacksonville and Camp Lejeune's growing pains on local drivers is working together, according to local officials. Akers says the Police Department is in daily contact with the base.
"We have to have the partnerships because we just can't do it by ourselves," he said. "But when we partner with the base, city officials, business community, state and other agencies, we get more done faster."
The base is currently conducting traffic surveys with Jacksonville and recommendations are being made regularly to ease the congestion, Schismenos said. One such recommendation is to open another gate for access to the base or to construct a bridge connecting Camp Lejeune to Tarawa Terrace.
Both ideas would require high amounts of funding and could be a long way off, according to base officials.
But smaller steps are being taken to try to ease traffic, including allowing traffic lights to stay green longer on N.C. 24, erecting signs along the road and opening the Piney Green gate for base employees. Officials are removing traffic cones that line N.C. 24 in the morning to funnel base traffic through the main gate, Akers said.
"We're going to see if that will lighten things up a little bit, and drivers will not be as confused with all of the cones," he said. "We're doing a 30-day trial and error and we'll just adjust after that."
Commanders are also encouraged to bring Marines in at staggered hours so not everyone comes to work at the same time, Thomas said. Officials are also hoping Jacksonville's Rails to Trails program will help.
The biking and walking trail is currently being constructed where old rail lines once were and will allow pedestrians and cyclists to travel to Camp Lejeune through the main gate.
"We hope by doing that to encourage people to ride bikes or walk to work," Akers said. "Programs like that will have a long-term bigger impact than the citizens see. They see the immediate tax money spent, but the big picture is it will cut down on traffic, injuries and fatalities."
While there is no quick fix to the traffic issue, Akers says such small steps are a way of "looking to the future."
One big piece of that is continual education on driving safety.
"We've tried to make people knowledgeable, to make sure Marines are educated on driving - that they don't speed or tailgate," Thomas said.
Schismenos says that is the most important part of the traffic issue.
"Since a majority of Marines live off base, whatever we do affects the community," he said. "If we can teach Marines better and safer driving habits, that affects everyone."
Base officials conduct regular traffic safety briefs and Marines under age 26 are required to attend a driver's improvement course, Schismenos said. Those who drive ATVs, government vehicles, motorcycles or mopeds are required to undergo a safety course.
"It's an ongoing issue and we're trying to be proactive," he said. "We know it doesn't just affect the base. Camp Lejeune is a part of Onslow County, so we're trying to better what we can for the community."
The positive
Jackson says that while the traffic can have a negative effect on his business, it can also have a positive effect.
"I think it helps people see us and want to stop by, even if that is later," he said. "You've got to look at the advantages and disadvantages. Yes, it creates problems, but it also creates opportunities."
The traffic problem has increased communication between the base, the city and the businesses in the area, he said.
"You just have to grin and bear it sometimes," Jackson said. "I think it's wonderful the way the base and city have worked together."
Hunter says he focuses on the fact that Jacksonville traffic is miniscule compared to big cities like Washington or Long Island, N.Y.
"It's crazy up there," he said. "This traffic is nothing compared to that. I lived in Long Island for a while and the traffic starts at 4 a.m. and lasts all day. This usually only lasts an hour."
In 1982, Hunter said that after a long weekend Marines and sailors had to undergo a full search before entering Camp Lejeune, which could cause him to sit in traffic for two or three hours.
"I don't think people really have anything to complain about now," he said. "If everybody would be patient, it wouldn't be that bad."
Schismenos recommends that drivers avoid N.C. 24 during peak hours if possible, or take short cuts. If east-bound drivers are passing through towards Swansboro, they should remain in the left lane and avoid multiple lane changes, he said.
Akers says the most important thing is to drive defensively, allow extra time for traveling and be patient.
"When the city is growing, people get agitated and they get impatient," he said. "But they need to drive defensively and not aggressively. When base and city traffic is thick, slower is faster - you get there a whole lot faster if you do the speed limit."
Contact staff writer Chrissy Vick at cvick@freedomenc.com or by calling 353-1171, ext. 239.