Politics & Government

Students Move Bus Stop Onto Busy Road After Snow, Residents Say

Two residents asked that the township shovel sidewalks on both sides of Allen Road after snow to protect students waiting for bus.

It may not have snowed much this winter, but two residents of Lafayette Watch in The Hills say that it's been enough to push students who didn't want to stand on an unshoveled sidewalk along Allen Road to step onto the heavily trafficked road to wait for their school bus.

Even without snow, "The children do stand there for the bus in the morning," Loulla Kijek, a neighbor, told the about the intersection at the entrance to Lafayette Watch, Wellington Drive and Allen Road.

She and Eileen Scott, another neighbor, said there is virtually no shoulder at that spot where the children wait.

Find out what's happening in Basking Ridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Neither has children in the schools, they told the Township Committee on Tuesday, but Kijek said her dog was hit by a car and killed while on the curb near the intersection.

"It's so close to the roadway," she said of the curb alongside Allen Road.

Find out what's happening in Basking Ridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The sidewalk on the other side of Allen Road apparently is shoveled, but not the side heading up the hill from Somerville Road along Layafette Watch and the golf course. The side that is shoveled includes the and the Village Center Shopping Center.

"Someone needs to take responsibility," Scott said, noting that Allen Road is a county road.

Township Engineer Tom Timko said at the meeting that the sidewalk on that side of Allen Road is not on the township's list of sidewalks targeted as a route for shoveling following a snowstorm.

After decided to continue shoveling sidewalks that are considered major walking routes to school following snowstorms.

Township Administrator Bruce McArthur said the township is constantly looking at its priority list for sidewalks to be shoveled. However, he said the Township Committee would need to make any changes to the list with a vote on a resolution.

Valerie Goger, Superintendent of Bernards Schools, said on Friday she had received no complaints from parents about the bus stop safety at Wellington Drive and Allen Roads.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here