Ridge Traffic Task Force Plans 2nd Public Input Session Before Final Report

A specially appointed task force that has spent the last few months examining in detail ways to relieve morning traffic jams at the entrance to Ridge High School plans to hold a second public input session in March to to detail the proposals on the table.

The task force met again on Wednesday, continuing regular meetings held since last fall. Bernards Mayor Carolyn Gaziano on Thursday said no definite date has been set for the public input session.

At that time, Gaziano said the task force will present a detail analysis of options being considered. If residents have a comment or question, they will have an opportunity to address the task force at the next public session.

Some of the suggestions that have been discussed so far including widening South Finley Avenue to add a turning lane to direct some vehicles directly to the back parking lots; finding another location on the Ridge campus where buses drop off students; blocking off a certain time period where buses only can enter the high school; and creating a one-way entrance from the nearby municipal complex that would be open only in the morning.

The task force had expected to present final reports to both the Board of Education and Township Committee in late March. However, the Township Committee's second meeting in March is canceled due to Passover.

During an update at Tuesday's Township Committee meeting, Deputy Mayor John Carpenter said that potentially the report could be presented by the next committee meeting, scheduled for March 12.

However, Gaziano noted the school board is not likely to receive the report until its March 28 meeting. The Township Committee is scheduled to meet after that on April 9.

"We are moving as fast as we can," Gaziano said on Tuesday. She said earlier this month that the task force would like to present a solution that can be agreed upon in time for the school district to hire a contractor to perform an construction this summer, if needed.

The task force had met for three hours the previous Wednesday to lay out all of the options in detail, Gaziano said.

The task force, with two members each from the Township Committee and school board, along with professionals from both, began meeting last fall.

The task force held a previous public input session in December.

"We are going to look at the pros and cons of every option," Gaziano said in December.

Speakers at the December forum looked unfavorably on plans along South Finley that would further impact homeowners living right near the high school, or would continue sending bus or private vehicle traffic through the Homestead Village to reach the back entrance to the high school.

Since early last year, buses from the high school have been diverted through Homestead Village to the parking lot at Cedar Hill Elementary School.

Grove Road resident Andi Williams again told the task force the situation is dangerous, especially since students and other neighbors walk along narrow streets in the morning when buses and car traffic are heading to Ridge. Neighbors have complained that both buses and drivers en route to the high school go too fast.

South Finley Avenue resident Parag Dhagat said he opposes an option to widen South Finley that would lead to taking further property from immediate neighbors for one option in a report from Dean and Dolan Traffic Engineers issued right before school ended last year.