A New Jersey lawyer is suing the borough of Leonia after it decided to close a side street from rush hour traffic that was a frequent alternate route marked on Waze, the navigation app.

Attorney Jacqueline Rosa sued after the town barred non-residents from using its roads as a short-cut to the George Washington Bridge and set up fines of $200 for violations. Rosa claims she has had to sit in an extra twenty minutes of traffic since the restrictions were put in place and traffic was spilling over into surrounding neighborhoods.

“I am filing it because thousands of people are impacted by this and someone needs to have this ordinance overturned,” Rosa said. “If every town did what Leonia did, it would be absolutely ridiculous. Every single person would have to use a highway to get anywhere.”

Leonia Mayor Judah Zeigler responded saying, “My job is to take action that I truly believe to be in the best interests of my constituents.”

According to news reports, Leonia police Chief Thomas Rowe said studies have shown more than 2,000 vehicles often pass through town from just one of the three exits off Interstate 95. The town has about 9,200 residents and a police force of 18.

The state Attorney General’s Office recently joined the lawsuit on behalf of the Department of Transportation, claiming the closures are illegal.

—Source: newyork.cbslocal.com