Letter to the Editor

Reconsider Decision to Pave Driveway to School, Resident Says

Letter to the editor asks for Township Committee to think again about paving gravel driveway between school and town hall.

To the Editor, We are Homestead Village residents writing in regards to the disastrous rerouting of Ridge buses through Homestead Village that began last spring a never ending discussion of traffic problems. We have attended both BOE and Bernards Township meetings, have asked many questions to only hear the same empty response — we are working on the problem. We have been patient. But our patience has run out and we are extremely angered that this dangerous situation has continued to go on into the new school year. We feel that we have been misled and strung along as a community for way too long. We are also increasingly disturbed by the thought that a blackout period instituted on South Finley each morning is a viable option to reduce car…

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Letter to the Editor

Homestead Village Resident Calls For Ridge Traffic Solution

Letter to Editor writer: 'Proposed solution seems like a band-aid on a wound that requires stitches.'

To the editor, As a resident of Homestead Village, I understand that I am biased toward finding a solution for the long-standing traffic issue at Ridge High School. A small, quiet neighborhood is no place to reroute 27 buses and the Board of Education seems to be in agreement and working towards implementing a solution within the confines of the school property. My concern is that any solution that is restricted to the existing school property is in no way sustainable given how quickly our community grows. The proposed solution of widening the health department driveway to allow for a left turn doesn’t seem sufficient to account for the hundreds of cars driving to and from the school or commuting through our town’s main throughway. In …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Resident: Bus Route Opponents Will Again Address BOE

Homestead Village residents expected to again voice concern over new Ridge bus route.

Jennifer White, one of the dozens of neighbors from Homestead Village who have been appearing before both township and school officials to oppose the recent rerouting of high school buses through their streets, said the neighbors will be back at Monday's scheduled school board meeting. "We are not going away," White said this week. "We think Dr. Goger [schools superintendent] and [Ridge] Principal Howlett should reverse their decision." As of Feb. 1, the school administration decided to start having school buses drop off high school students at the Cedar Hill Elementary School, located next door to the rear entrance to the high school, in an effort to reduce traffic by the front entrance to the high school. White said the residents also …

• Photos (1)

Ridge Bus Dropoff at Cedar Hill Set to Continue

Email sent to parents says Ridge busing will continue at Cedar Hill School, although parents asked not to use same location.

Although the Township Committee last Tuesday requested that Ridge High School buses stop dropping off students at Cedar Hill Elementary School via the streets of Homestead Village, the school's principal said on Friday that the bus route will continue. School buses carrying students to Ridge High School stopped rolling through Homestead Village this week, a school vacation for all Bernards Township students, but can be expected to resume when school starts again next Monday. An email sent out by Ridge principal Frank Howlett in the school district's most recent Friday Folder said, "The administration has decided to continue with this new procedure [of rerouting buses with Ridge students through the adjoining Cedar Hill School property] …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (3)

Board of Ed to Discuss Elections, Ridge Bus Dropoff

Public invited to weigh in on two major issues scheduled to be discussed Monday night.

The public has been asked to provide input on Monday night regarding two major issues before the Board of Education: whether to move annual school elections from April to November, and if school buses loaded with Ridge High School students should continue a new dropoff procedure behind the Cedar Hill Elementary School. A majority of Bernards Township Board of Education members said on Jan. 23 they favor moving annual school elections to November. But board members agreed at that night's meeting they would first like to hear from the public at the scheduled Feb. 13 meeting before taking a final vote. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the William Annin Middle School. "I think it would be fair to give people an opportunity to talk about …

•  9 Comments
• Photos (3)