DUI Lawyers in Evesham, NJ

For the time being, feel free to ignore some traffic lights on a busy highway corridor in South Jersey.

In fact, the New Jersey Department of Transportation is helping in that process.

It's keeping black wrappers on traffic lights that have been installed — but not activated — as part of a $152-million project to improve Route 70 in Evesham, Cherry Hill and Pennsauken.

The shrouded standards hang near traffic lights that they'll eventually replace. But until that happens, they're covered to prevent confusing motorists, according to a DOT statement, which noted that work must be done on the ground before the old lights can be removed.

"This work includes installing additional hardware, running cables, and configuring software," the statement said.

It added that the new lights will have upgraded "adaptive systems" to adjust their timing in response to traffic volume.

That's expected to improve traffic flow and reduce stops and backups, according to the DOT's project summary.

"Testing of the newly installed traffic signals has begun and will continue for the next several weeks," the statement said.

"Once installation is complete, the department will perform a complete system test to ensure that all signals are in constant communication," it added.

Many of the covers carry the name of Diehl Electric, the Hammonton firm that made the advanced signals. A company representative could not be reached for comment.

The new signals are to appear at 28 locations on an 8.8-mile stretch of Route 70 between Cooper Avenue in Evesham and Route 38 in Pennsauken.

The DOT said the traffic-signal project should be completed by the fall between Cooper Avenue in Evesham and Haddonfield Road in Cherry Hill. A strip from Haddonfield Road to Route 38 is due for completion in winter 2026.

Among other changes, the project is to include the installation of new pedestrian countdown signals and pushbuttons at crosswalks.

Upgrades to five closed-circuit TV cameras and the installation of two "dynamic message signs" to alert drivers to new roadway incidents or congestion are also expected. Two existing signs are set to be replaced.

Workers will install additional lighting at signalized intersections and replace existing street lights with LED lighting fixtures, the project summary said.

The overall project, which includes extensive roadway and infrastructure work, is expected to continue until early 2027.

Jim Walsh is a senior reporter with the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Email: Jwalsh@cpsj.com.

Homeowners in Evesham face a massive 25.4% increase in their school district property tax bills — $910 a year for the average $272,785 residential assessment — under a plan approved by the Evesham Township Board of Education at a special meeting on Tuesday.

Board members voted 6-3 to apply to a new state program that would allow its budget to reach "adequacy" by sharply increasing property taxes. School districts ordinarily are limited to a 2% cap on tax increases.

The property tax increase is not automatic and needs to get the blessing of the state. If approved by the state, the Evesham district would be able to raise about $14.9 million and restore many of the cuts in the 2025-26 school budget. The budget must be submitted by Monday.

Several board members said taking the one-year increase would put the financially troubled district on a path to adequate budgets in the next few years.

The board voted 6-3 to apply to the state to increase taxes by all of the amount permitted, resulting in a 25.4% tax increase. Some dissenting board members voted to apply for only some of the increase, which amounts to 15.4% and would raise annual taxes by $545.16 for a home with the average assessment.

Voting in favor of the full 25.4% increase were: Jarod Brown, Terri Butrymowicz, William Thompson, Kevin Peelman, David Bock and Aneesh Kanthan. The three board members voting to apply for an increase, but the lower 15.4% amount, were Aiden DeMarsey, Tracy Fox and Janis Knoll.

The new state initiative allows districts like Evesham that are deemed to have budgets "below adequacy" to apply to raise the tax levy to the amount that would allow them to reach adequacy, ETSD Superintendent Justin Smith explained at the meeting.

Smith said that $14,922,643, of which the state would provide about $710,000, is needed to bring ETSD up to adequacy, adding some of that funding would:

"How can anyone stand here in front of this opportunity and say that we are going to take less than adequate, less than average for our kids?" Smith asked. "The state is not going to save our district. The state is giving us this chance to save ourselves."

When asked for his perspective, Jonathan Yates, the ETSD business administrator, said: "I could certainly speak as a dad and say that I think these things are needed for the children in school. One thing that sticks out to me from a business administrator perspective is restoring fund balance (and) strengthening our long-term fiscal health."

Even with the potential influx of funding, the decision earlier this year to outsource the bus drivers employed by the district remains unchanged due to what Smith called budgetary savings and operational challenges spurred by two-thirds of the district's bus routes already being outsourced.

"With everything that is going on in this country right now on a federal level, economically, in good conscience, I cannot ask taxpayers to burden what the state should be providing at that much of an increase," said board member Fox, who voted to take only some of the tax increase.

But board member Peelman, who voted to take the full increase, said the plan would bring stability to the annual school budgeting process.

"We are doing everything in our power to take as much local control of our own destiny as we can, so that we can stop having a continual conversation year after year after year of trying to find out whose jobs are being saved, who has to go home at the end of the workday every day and worry that they are not going to be employed next year," Peelman said.

A house in Marlton that sold for $920,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Evesham in the past week.

In total, eight residential real estate sales were recorded in the area during the past week, with an average price of $527,688. The average price per square foot ended up at $270.

The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of May 12 even if the property may have been sold earlier.

8. $332K, single-family residence at 61 Dorset Court

A sale has been finalized for the detached house at 61 Dorset Court in Marlton. The price was $331,500 and the new owners took over the house in April. It was built in 1985 and the living area totals 1,263 square feet. The price per square foot ended up at $262. The deal was finalized on April 24.

7. $370K, single-family home at 1202 Jonathan Lane

The property at 1202 Jonathan Lane in Marlton has new owners. The price was $370,000. The house was built in 1981 and has a living area of 1,850 square feet. The price per square foot is $200. The deal was finalized on April 25.

6. $455K, single-family house at 24 Derby Court

The sale of the single-family residence at 24 Derby Court in Marlton has been finalized. The price was $455,000, and the new owners took over the house in April. It was built in 1974 and has a living area of 1,698 square feet. The price per square foot was $268. The deal was finalized on April 24.

5. $465K, single-family house at 147 Hearthstone Lane

The property at 147 Hearthstone Lane in Marlton has new owners. The price was $465,000. The single-family home was built in 1998 and has a living area of 2,000 square feet. The price per square foot is $233. The deal was finalized on April 25.

4. $520K, single-family home at 3 Laura Lane

A 1,788-square-foot detached house at 3 Laura Lane, Marlton, has been sold. The transfer of ownership was settled in April and the total purchase price was $520,000, $291 per square foot. The house was built in 1979. The deal was finalized on April 24.

3. $560K, single-family residence at 6 Yorktown Court

The sale of the single-family house at 6 Yorktown Court, Marlton, has been finalized. The price was $560,000, and the house changed hands in April. The house was built in 1966 and has a living area of 1,922 square feet. The price per square foot was $291. The deal was finalized on April 28.

2. $600K, single-family house at 3 Kathryn Court

A 2,138-square-foot single-family house at 3 Kathryn Court in Marlton has been sold. The transfer of ownership was settled in April and the total purchase price was $600,000, $281 per square foot. The house was built in 1998. The deal was finalized on April 25.

1. $920K, single-family residence at 7 John Singer Sargent Way

The property at 7 John Singer Sargent Way in Marlton has new owners. The price was $920,000. The detached house was built in 1999 and has a living area of 2,960 square feet. The price per square foot is $311. The deal was finalized on April 25.

Real Estate Newswire is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to generate analysis of data from Propmix, an aggregator of national real-estate data.

A house in Marlton that sold for $570,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Evesham in the past week.

In total, 11 residential real estate sales were recorded in the area during the past week, with an average price of $342,980, or $219 per square foot.

The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of April 14 even if the property may have been sold earlier.

10. $250K, single-family house at 318 Foxwood Lane

The property at 318 Foxwood Lane in Marlton has new owners. The price was $250,000. The house was built in 1983 and has a living area of 1,646 square feet. The price per square foot is $152. The deal was finalized on March 25.

9. $258K, condominium at 48 Chelmsford Court

A 1,112 square-foot condominium at 48 Chelmsford Court in Marlton has been sold. The transfer of ownership was settled in April and the total purchase price was $258,000, $232 per square foot. The condominium was built in 1989. The deal was finalized on April 1.

8. $297K, single-family residence at 100 Wentworth Circle

The sale of the single family residence at 100 Wentworth Circle, Marlton, has been finalized. The price was $297,000, and the new owners took over the -unknown- in March. The -unknown- was built in 1988. The deal was finalized on March 27.

7. $311K, single-family house at 7 Dorset Drive

A sale has been finalized for the detached house at 7 Dorset Drive in Marlton. The price was $310,500 and the new owners took over the house in March. The house was built in 1984 and the living area totals 1,315 square feet. The price per square foot ended up at $236. The deal was finalized on March 26.

6. $330K, single-family home at 361 Juniper Street

The sale of the single family residence at 361 Juniper Street in Marlton has been finalized. The price was $330,000, and the new owners took over the -unknown- in March. The -unknown- was built in 1973. The deal was finalized on March 21.

5. $350K, condominium at 89 Woodlake Drive

The property at 89 Woodlake Drive in Marlton has new owners. The price was $350,000. The condominium was built in 1989 and has a living area of 1,093 square feet. The price per square foot is $320. The deal was finalized on March 21.

4. $355K, single-family house at 142 Briar Court

The 1,504 square-foot detached house at 142 Briar Court, Marlton, has been sold. The transfer of ownership was settled in March and the total purchase price was $355,000, $236 per square foot. The house was built in 1973. The deal was finalized on March 25.

3. $365K, condominium at 192 Woodlake Drive

The property at 192 Woodlake Drive in Marlton has new owners. The price was $364,777. The condominium was built in 1987 and has a living area of 1,596 square feet. The price per square foot is $229. The deal was finalized on March 28.

2. $500K, single-family house at 20 Luray Lane

A sale has been finalized for the single-family home at 20 Luray Lane in Marlton. The price was $500,000 and the new owners took over the -unknown- in March. The -unknown- was built in 1983. The deal was finalized on March 31.

1. $570K, single-family residence at 28 Grace Drive

The 2,676 square-foot single-family home at 28 Grace Drive, Marlton, has been sold. The transfer of ownership was settled in March and the total purchase price was $570,000, $213 per square foot. The house was built in 2015. The deal was finalized on March 26.

Real Estate Newswire is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to generate analysis of data from Propmix, an aggregator of national real-estate data.