Officials in Leonia, New Jersey are telling out-of-towners not to use local roads in the town.
There have been a number of accidents involving drivers using those streets trying to get to the George Washington Bridge. It has also caused traffic backups that have made it difficult for town officials to respond to emergencies.
"In the interest of public safety, we had to take significant action," Mayor Judah Zeigler told WOR's "Len Berman in the Morning."
He said the town can see 4,000 to 12,000 cars on its roads heading to the bridge on a typical weekday. Zeigler said many of those vehicles wind up on local roads
"The traffic needs to stay where it belongs - on our major thoroughfares," Zeigler said.
The road closures will be in place during peak travel periods. Enforcement begins on Monday, with police officers issuing warnings for the first two weeks. After that, drivers who use GPS devices to navigate local roads could face a $200 fine.
Zeigler said town officials are already seeing a difference in traffic.
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