Ridge Neighbor Wants to Set Record Straight on Traffic

To the Editor:

As a South Finley resident, I have been closely following the “Ridge High Traffic Problem”, and began to pay even greater attention after the Board of Education published the results of its traffic study in June. Since then, I have attended all BOE and Township Committee (TC) meetings and have addressed each group on several occasions, orally and in writing. I take issue with several recent comments by Patch readers.

Based on my experiences and observations, as well as media reports throughout the better part of the year, I have learned or concluded that:

• Ridge High’s Principal, the Superintendent of Schools and the BOE created this “crisis” by rerouting morning buses through Homestead Village.
• The TC opposed that action, given its impact on Homestead Village residents.
• Homestead Village residents understandably objected to additional bus and new auto traffic.
• Nonetheless, the BOE did not reverse its decision.
• Instead, the BOE pressed the TC to solve its traffic problem by rerouting morning traffic to the Municipal Complex.
• The TC declined, expressed its opposition to use of the Municipal Complex and cited a number of concerns, including those outlined by Mayor Pavlini in a March 14 letter to the BOE.
• The BOE then commissioned a traffic study and eventually proposed three options:  (1) use of the Municipal Complex; (2) widening Ridge High’s existing secondary driveway (south of the Health Department); or (3) constructing a new, third driveway (north of the Health Department).
• The “Municipal Complex” option was originally presented as a plan by which vehicles would discharge students along Astor Fields, and then proceed around the circle and exit onto Collyer Lane.  Apparently prompted by concerns expressed by or on behalf of the Police Department, that solution has since been “tweaked,” to provide access to Ridge High Parking Lot C via the gravel road along the east side of Astor Fields, presumably making it unnecessary for vehicles to exit via Collyer Lane and presumably addressing the Police Department’s concerns.
• Given the TC’s continuing opposition, however, it appears that this does not fully address all of the concerns outlined in Mayor Pavlini’s letter.
• Several residents have noted that two events occurred in 2005 relating to this issue.  First, It’s been reported that the TC then approved use of the Municipal Complex and the gravel road along the east side of Astor Fields to access the rear parking lot at Ridge High. Also in 2005, the BOE, in referendum materials made available to the public, represented that new parking lots would not be used for student parking.  
• I am unclear as to what the TC intended by its 2005 action. However, contrary to the BOE’s 2005 representations, students are now permitted to park in Lots C and D.
• Irrespective of the TC’s 2005 intentions, the gravel road has not been opened up to Ridge High traffic.  Given traffic changes that have occurred in the past 7 years, I also don’t know whether or not that remains a viable option.       
• As to options (2) and (3), it has been reported that either would require the widening of South Finley Avenue, which is inconsistent with the Township’s Master Plan.
• Two TC members have expressed opposition to the widening of South Finley.
• I am opposed to the widening of South Finley, as residents who live at and around the Lake Road/Ridge High intersection have borne the brunt of past failed “solutions” and our quality of life has already been significantly impacted by changes at Ridge High over the years. Moreover, options (2) and (3) may (or may not) relieve congestion on the Ridge High campus itself, but could actually increase congestion on South Finley, by getting cars and buses off the campus more quickly but into a street that has limited capacity to absorb more traffic.  I also believe that both of these options could present safety risks.
• Based on media reports, Carolyn Gaziano has proposed several actions that Ridge High could take on its campus that could solve, or alleviate, the problem. 
• I have seen no substantive response from the BOE to Ms. Gaziano’s suggestions.
• Other than installation of speed “tables”, new lane striping and signs directly in front of Ridge High’s main entrance — which were intended to address “weaving” across lanes, and would do little, if anything to alleviate congestion — I have seen nothing to suggest that Ridge High administration has taken any measures to solve its campus traffic problem.
• As to my letters, the TC has acknowledged my correspondence, engaged in substantive discussions with me about my concerns and has been attentive and respectful to me when I’ve spoken at TC meetings.
• I believe that Ms. Gaziano has attended every BOE meeting since the BOE’s consultant presented the results of his study on June 25, as this subject was either on the agenda or it was reasonably foreseeable that it would be raised during the proceedings.
• On the other hand, my written communications to the BOE have pretty much been ignored and most board members appear to be bored when I’ve spoken at their meetings. On two occasions, it was my impression that the BOE president attempted to discourage public input by stating, in effect, “that we’ve been down this road a long time.” As a South Finley resident, however, my “road” began in late June, with the publication of the BOE’s traffic study and I have been diligently trying to convey my concerns to the BOE ever since. In my judgment, the BOE does not appear to be interested.
• The BOE created a Citizen’s Advisory Task Force earlier this year to address the problems that resulted from the rerouting of buses through Homestead Village and identify potential alternatives. It included representatives from Homestead Village. 
• One of my South Finley neighbors asked to join this Task Force. It is my understanding that he did not receive a response to his request.
• More recently, I asked the BOE to establish another Citizens’ Advisory Task Force and include one or more representatives from South Finley in order to give us the opportunity to voice our concerns and explore potential alternatives.
• I have received no response to my request.        
• The BOE and the TC, at meetings on October 8 and 9 respectively, announced the formation of a Joint Task Force (comprised of members of the TC and the BOE) to address this problem.
• Prior to the creation of this Joint Task Force, the BOE and its Facilities Committee was responsible for addressing the traffic problem and it controlled the scheduling of meetings, setting of the agenda and apportioning the amount of time devoted to this issue. 
• It is my understanding that the Joint Task Force was formed at the suggestion of the TC, since the BOE’s Facilities Committee has a broad range of responsibilities that impact all township schools. A Joint Task Force, with a narrower focus and fewer members, would permit both the BOE and the TC to better focus on and give this problem the attention that it deserves. In my opinion, this Joint Task Force was reflective of a more collaborative approach to resolving this problem and a great step forward.   
• At the October 9 TC meeting, Ms. Gaziano stated that all options would be on the table, members of the public will have the opportunity to offer input and the Task Force will publish its findings to provide greater transparency.
• When BOE President Susan McGowan announced the formation of this Joint Task Force on October 8, no members expressed opposition and the Task Force actually held its first meeting on October 10.
• Now —on October 15 and following the Joint Task Force’s first meeting — Superintendent of Schools Nick Markarian says that the BOE needs to “formalize” its participation in this Joint Task Force; the BOE will be unable to do so prior to October 29; and the next scheduled Joint Task Force meeting on November 5 (which would include members of the public) “remains highly tentative.”

Based on all of this, I don’t think that the TC can reasonably be accused of being “recalcitrant”, as a Patch reader suggested. But, to the extent that anyone might conclude that that characterization is fair, I would suggest that the BOE has been at least equally recalcitrant by apparently failing to fully address Mayor Pavlini’s concerns, disregarding suggestions put forward by Ms. Gaziano and John Carpenter and ignoring input from concerned residents.

Most people who have already offered opinions on this subject seem to agree on three issues: (1) the routing of buses through Homestead Village should be stopped as quickly as possible; (2) any action further impacting South Finley residents is not a viable option; and (3) to the extent that the TC maintains its position with respect to use of the Municipal Complex, the public deserves a full and complete explanation for its decision. I hope that that the BOE will do what it said it was going to do and move forward with the TC to establish a Joint Task Force and that the Joint Task Force, mindful of the three point made above, will move forward to develop and implement an effective strategy for solving this long-standing problem.  

Very truly yours,

Eileen Walsh

280 S. Finley Ave.,
Basking Ridge