Traffic light honors memory of teenager
Family hopes signal prevents further tragedy at intersection
BY LAUREN CIRAULO Staff Writers
Three years after an Old Bridge teenager was killed in a car accident, the efforts of family, friends and an entire community to make a busy intersection safer have finally been realized.

JEFF GRANIT staff Family members of Ashley Barton, including parents Jon and Tracy Pulaski and grandfather Walter Kreiss, stand at the intersection of Route 34 and Spring Hill Road in Old Bridge, where Ashley, 17, was killed in a September 2006 traffic accident. The family threw the switch to activate a new traffic signal at the site on Friday. More photos, page 24.

A newly constructed traffic light was activated at Spring Hill Road and Route 34 on the morning of June 26 following an uncharacteristically short process of planning, design and installation.

"This happened in record time," Old Bridge Councilman Reginald Butler said. "Three years might seem like a long time, but the government doesn't usually work this fast. We had a lot of support."

The quest to install a traffic light began in 2006 soon after Ashley Barton, a 17- year-old student and peer leader at Old Bridge High School, was killed that September while making a left turn from Spring Hill Road onto Route 34. Ashley, whose vehicle was struck by a tractor-trailer, was on her way home from school, where she had helped with freshman orientation.

Since Ashley's death, residents and some local officials advocated to construct a traffic light at the intersection.

"It was one of the most difficult things we had to do," Butler said. "That date will ring in my head for a long time. When families have tragedies like that, I really feel for them. I like to be with them and offer my help, see what I can do."

While Spring Hill Road is owned by Middlesex County, approval from the state Department of Transportation (DOT) was necessary in order to acquire jurisdiction for Route 34, a state-owned highway. Butler recruited state Assemblyman Sam Thompson (R-13) as an advocate in the approval process.

"I worked hand in hand with the DOT and am very pleased we had good cooperation from them," Thompson said.

While the council adopted an ordinance that prohibited left turns at the intersection in October 2006, township officials believed that a traffic signal would be a better long-term solution to safety problems there. They requested that the DOT conduct a traffic study, which ultimately deemed the signal appropriate at the intersection. Though the family wished that a sign be erected in memory of Ashley, the DOT denied the request. However, Thompson arranged for the family members to activate the light. At 11 a.m. June 26, Thompson gave a short speech thanking all involved and then allowed family members to flick the switch.

"I think we gave the family something to remember Ashley by," Thompson said. "This will definitely prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future."

Ashley's mother, Tracy Pulaski, expressed her immense appreciation for the help of the Old Bridge community.

"We were lucky to have so many people on our side," she said on behalf of the family. "We didn't have the strength to fight, but had such amazing people backing us. We're just very grateful to all involved."

Following the signal activation, Ashley's family and friends took turns visiting her roadside memorial, which is maintained regularly by Ashley's grandfather, Walter Kreiss.

"It's a shame that this light hasn't been here longer," Kreiss said. "Hopefully, nothing tragic will happen here again."