East brunswick police warn drivers: ‘don’t block the box’ at newly painted intersection

EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. — The East Brunswick Police Department is urging drivers to avoid blocking the newly painted intersection box at Rues Lane and Hillsdale Road, a move aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improving safety.

The painted grid, introduced in recent weeks, marks a zone where vehicles are prohibited from stopping while waiting for traffic to move forward. Drivers who enter the box without ensuring they can fully exit it risk obstructing vehicles attempting to enter or exit Hillsdale Road, creating bottlenecks and delays.

Officials cited New Jersey’s Motor Vehicles and Traffic Regulation, Section 39:4-67, which prohibits drivers from entering intersections when traffic ahead prevents immediate clearance. The law is designed to ensure roadways remain passable and to reduce the risk of collisions at busy crossings.

“When a driver ‘blocks the box,’ they interrupt the flow of traffic and create unnecessary safety hazards,” the department stated in a Facebook post on Tuesday. The statement emphasized the importance of courteous driving to maintain smooth traffic flow in the area.

Authorities are reminding motorists to pay close attention to traffic conditions and to keep the painted box clear at all times, as enforcement of the rule will continue.

Blocking the box leads to gridlock and delays, East Brunswick police say.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.