After nine years of planning, the Lakewood Township Community Shuttle or “L,” a public transportation system, finally began rolling through Lakewood on March 17. As part of its mission to increase mobility and reduce carbon emissions in Lakewood, Lakewood Township is providing the L bus service with vehicles that came from a Federal Transit Administration grant administered by NJ Transit.

Committeeman Meir Lichtenstein, who first proposed a public shuttle in 2006, said, “I believe that mass transportation is going to be vital for the continued growth of Lakewood. Our goal is to get these buses on the road, to get them as full as possible and as successful as possible so that we can prove to all the different agencies involved that Lakewood is going to make good use of this system. Once the buses get rolling and once people see the transportation system is actually being used, we’re hoping to build on it.”

Mayor Isaac Akerman noted that besides Meir Lichtenstein, Committeemen Ray Coles, Michal D’Elia, Menashe Miller, and Robert Singer, now Senator Singer, had worked to make this system a reality. “We could not have possibly done this without the lobbying skills and the caring of BMG, who pushed for us to get this grant and also contributed on their own to make sure this project happens.”

Steven Reinman, the director of economic development and industrial development, said, “Through the offices of Congressman Chris Smith and the initiative of senior staff at Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG), Lakewood Township received a federal grant of one million dollars to purchase nine buses to be used for public transportation. If our initial efforts prove successful, we will be able to expand the number of routes and the number of shuttle buses.”

The L began March 17 with two routes. One is a loop from Central Avenue (Route 528) to the downtown area; the other service will pick up the Job Link route serving the Lakewood Industrial Park that had been suspended.

The L is available for everyone in the community to ride. Service animals and persons with portable oxygen tanks are permitted to ride the bus. Upon request and with an advance notice of 48 business hours, routes may deviate daily up to a two-block radius for a fee of $2.00 each way. This service, however, is free for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Schedules will be distributed at the Municipal Building, Third Street, Lakewood; the library, and local businesses and educational institutions.

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