J Township Elders Admit Mistake Flashing Traffic
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fiT-i TV; v •;•<• CHRONIGUS 'Thursday, November 9,1089 IT'S AL& HERE & MORE: A Forbes Newspaper Vol. 96 No; 46 Published Every Thursday Thursday, November 16, 1989 'USPS 136 BOO Second Class Postage Paid Cranford, N.J. 35 CENTS j Township elders admit mistake Early deadline, phalt sidewalks for almost 50 years. lopment ordinance which states only concrete may be used. However, it is The Chronicle will ba published By CHERYL MOULTQN The problem began when a decision was made by the engineering de- the contention of neighborhood resi- on Wednesday nea.i we*' because The concrete versus asphalt side- dents and the majority of the Town- of Thanksgiving.-Tha deadline for walk war that erupted last week on partment to include the neighbor- hood into the sidewalk program star- ship Committee that the neighbors prass releases and pJaasiaai ^> Yarmouth, Samoset and Ramapo were not notified of the impending vertteiag, therefore, is 4 p.m. to- reads and Munsee Drive was resol- ted by former township engineer Manu Patel prior to his leaving in work, nor were they asked if they morrow and retail display advert- ved at Tuesday night's Township preferred asphalt over concrete. ising due by 5 that day. Committee meeting when three of May. Initially, an engineering aide was sent out to the soutiiside neigh- According to Geraldine Buckley of four town elders present fought along Samoset Road, a representative of with the neighbors to restore the as- borhood to evaluate the condition of Glbthing. sought tbe sidewalks around trees in the the neighborhood, if the residents phalt sidewalks, presenting a united had been consulted they would hava front against Mayor Ed Force. townsl"Q's right of way. It has been a The Samaritan Ministry of township policy to repair sidewalks done whatever was necessary to keep I Crturford is holding a winter doth- Representatives of the southside that have deteriorated due to the ef- the neighborhood as uniform as pos- I ing drive from 9 a.m. to noon Sa- neighborhood lobbied for the right to fects of its tree roots. From that point sible, avoiding the concrete "patch- turday in the St. Michael's School have their neighborhood returned to the wheels were put into motion for work." The use of asphalt over con- [cafeteria. Page B-6. the status quo, removing the con- the replacement of the sidewalks crete would have necessitated going crete that has turned the neighbor- around the trees. to the Planning Board tor an excep- hood sidewalks into a unsightly, un- tion, which was the case when the safe patchwork. The initial decision to use concrete and not asphalt for the repair was downtown brick pavers were prefer- The neighborhood, located off Cen- red over traditional concrete. The Township Committee will tennial Avenue, has had black as- based on the township's land deve- I look at other hydraulic engineer- According to acting township eng- ) ing companies before paying ineer Karen Kramkowski, it is not $9,500 for Killam to prioritize the the policy of the township to notifiy I town's problem flood areas. Page the residents of work taing done in IA-2. Flashing traffic the township's right of way, such as the repair of the sidewalks from tree roots. Last, week when tempers flared CLASS More of Central Avenue is on its over the work being done by Cretan (ay to being.designated for resi- Concrete, one Samoset Road resident COMPACT dential permit parking only. Page By CHERYL MOULTON ing zone within 200 feet of the signal drove his car up and over the work- SEDANS [A-2. " A flashing traffic light will be in- and a no parking zone within 50 feet site being prepared by Cretan work- stalled at the perilous and accident of the signal. Cost of the signal is es- man, sending three police cars and prone Brookside Place and Gallows timated at $3,500. Mayor Force to the site to calm the More coverage Hill Road intersection to the relief of Residents of the Brookside and explosive situation. residents who have witnessed fatali- Gallows Hill area packed the Muni- Fit to be tied residents made count- The governing body has ap- ties there and live every day with an less calls to the engineering depart- f proved a $2-million increase in the cipal Building's Room 107 at the accident waiting to happen. November 6 Township Committee ment, but failed to get the relief they i town's general liability insurance. Police Chief Robert Guertin last sought. |PageA-3. workshop meeting, strongly voicing week presented the state approved their desire for a 24-hour traffic light, Monday night the problem was proposal to the Township Committee a four-way stop (illegal in the state) brought to a head when representa- Garwood who subsequently okayed the instal- or a flashing stop sign, citing the tives of the neighborhood defended lation. According to the chief, in- flashing red-yellow signal as inade- their right to have the asphalt side- The G«irwood school board is creasing numbers of accidents and quate for the purpose intended. walks returned to their original state. j having cash flow problems as fatalities over the years led to inves- Edna Williams, a 30-year resident Force said he had stopped work in 1 overdue bills are piling up...An tigation of the dangerous intersection of Brookside Place, said motorists the neighborhood until-the problem is, | amendment to the sorting law was by the police department. coming from Orchard Street onto solved. I introduced that could have an in> Electronic tape was used to deter- Brookside, accelerate when they get With Commissioner Vince Brin- 1 pact on the Plymouth Brethren mine the volume of traffic. Police to her house. She also stated the traf- kerhoff absent from the meeting, the; I application. Page A-fl. cruiser information tabulated the fic has "multiplied threefold since four committee members present average speed of motorists traveling 1076. If you put the red blinker on debated removal oJ the new concrete through the area. Figures show the slabs and replacing it with asphalt, Gallows Hill Road you are defeating \IUJ«G MAN. Anthony DlVinwarva, viio acnompanipae the ayerag* dfjVjsr on Erookssde Road Continued on Pago A-10 Stvaa not adhere to"the 25 mph limit Continued on Pag6 A-10 the Brearley boys- soccer team Si da by Siders senioi Utlzsn chars! gicup, -vhcsl•vhe ols M'lIViii ar.ar.iim to another performance. S®o story,aird pfpiure.op page Aj-11. but Is clocked at 30 to 35 mph, with i will play the Group I state cham- some drivers advancing to 45 to 50 pionship game at 6 tonight at mph. Guertin indicated the heaviest to vote on recruiting (Trenton State College pgainst volume of traffic occurs in the mom- I Bernards' Mountaineers. Page ing and evening. He further stateu pOSt B-l. v the major cause of accidents and fy tfiities at or near the intersection has »«>»*« to launch holiday season By ROSALIE GROSS been driver error, not speeding. dent of schools to advertise for appli- FloWering trees . Guertin said preliminary design of The Cranford Board of Educa- tion will vote Monday on whether to cants. The board has disagreed over Nineteen trees have been plan- the annual Christmas tree trimming the intersection was submitted to the the salary range for the proposed po- Two progrLjas will launch Cran- N.J. Department of Transportation go ahead and recruit applicants for [ ted at the railroad station parking ford's 1989 holiday season. Both will from 10 a.m. to noon. Local Daisies, sition. In voting to place a resolution ) lot. Page A3. for review. The DOT said a 24-hour the newly created and much- take place Nov. 24 in Mayors Park, Brownies and Junior Girl Scouts who discussed position of supervisor of on next Monday's business meeting have been making decorations dur- traffic signal was not warranted, but agenda for advertising the position, which is across from the Municipal did approve a flashing signal. Guer- curriculum and instruction. Building. ing troop meetings and at home will The board had approved the crea- the board eliminated a stipulation New officers gather around the tree to hang their tin said the choice would "protect our from the proposed resolution that The Cranford Jaycees will sponsor citizens and those who travel through tion of the position in September and Paul LaCorte is the new Cham- ornaments. Refreshments will be the job description last month, but would have set a minimum salary of provided by the Jaycees. our town." According to state law the $50,000. • '89 & '90 TOWN CARS I ber of Commerce president. The flashing signal will require a no pass- held off authorizing the superinten- I coming year's officers a»e listed More information on the tree de- The proposal was reactivated at 'onPageA-15. Sunday sales corating can be obtained from Denise the urging of schools superintendent •'89 & ' Greco of the Girl Scouts, 272-3415, or Robert D. Paul, who said the three Liz Mattson of the Jaycees, 276-5643. State 'report cards' due central office administrators "can't •'89 & '90 PROBES Blood drive of liquor The Cranford Chamber of Com- do the work of four people," referring merce will sponsor the annual tree to the division of tasks that formerly *'89 & '90 MUSTANGS There is a blood drive from 21 lighting ceremony at 7 p.m. In addi- The first state report cards on the performance of local schools should were performed by assistant super- 17:15 p.m.