* r wesTRf.n CHAMPIONS! Doll Dining out Winning Pet Devils girls soccer wins Meet the reader's pet that 12th straight UCT title Collecting Our big new guide details SSe t thiis best eating spots in region won in our yearly balloting Vote results on A-11 See Sports, page B-l WeekendPlus Inside this issue Vol. 3, ./ The^festfield Record Thursday, November 12, 1992 A Forbes Newspaper 25 cents Expanded fitness program wins school space By cmnm PC ISASI "Students are deficient in upper and school athletic programs. In addition, mats to college through scholarships. many have signed up, but they're able to," THE RECORD lower body strength and cardiovascular fit- would have to be rolled up for storage Board member Melba Nixon hailed the he said. ness. In order to remediate that, we need instead of being left out program as a success, noting that more Physical education teacher Kathy Luck- School board members approved expan- more than 4 Vi weeks," said Mr. Zimmer. Wrestling program volunteers' ob- than 5 percent of its participants are Afri- ey thinks girls would be less intimidated sion of the high school's fitness program The expansion would double the cen- jections cite that added inconvenience can-American. About 5 percent of the dis- and more likely to use the fitness center if at Tuesday evening's meeting, despite ob- ter's capacity to 40 students per class, giv- would discourage participation and dimin- trict's population is African-American. it were larger and less crowded. jections from community wrestling pro- ing each class more time to work on im- ish the quality of the program. "I personally assess the quality of a pro- Mr. Zimmer said that even with the gram advocates competing for space in the provement, he said. "I think that when you talk about vol- gram by the participation of black stu- changes, the wrestling program would still gymnasium. School Principal Robert Petrix added unteer programs, convenience is a major dents. The wrestling program is a quality have more space than most or all of the The vote stipulates that a suitable alter- that the expansion would serve both fe- issue," said volunteer Bill Jordan. program," she said. teams against whom Westfield plays. native space be found for wrestling. The male and male students. He added that there may be additional But Patricia Wheeler, a member of the Mr. Jordan suggested that if the fitness proposal would expand the 850-foot fitness The amount of space for wrestling would costs involved in moving, such as extra public, noted a deficiency in participation center was expanded to only one-third of center by 2,000 feet with additional exer- be reduced by 2,000 feet. The gymnasium custodial help, and said the wrestling pro- by female students. the gym space, with the other two- thirds cise bicycles, trvadmills, weights, and row- would only be able to hold one wrestling gram had fUnd-raisers to pad the walls in "In our language today we're talking left for wrestling, it would still be more ing machines and double the length of the mat instead of the two it now houses. the gym where practice is presently held. about kids and what we're really talking than twice as large as previously. program from 4 Vi weeks to nine. School administrators said they are con- "We're going to be looking at a much about is multiple-use gymnasium that is Several board members agreed that According to Department Supervisor Ri- sidering moving them to a smaller gym in less safe room. The walls won't be padded used for a single sex," she said. "It is a school programs should take precedence chard Zimmer, computerized testing the high school or a gym in one of the and the Door won't be covered," he said. gender issue." over non-school programs, but also that shows many of the district's high school elementary or intermediate schools, al- Other wrestling advocates cited that According to Mr, Jordan, two females the wrestling program is beneficial to the students do not meet fitness standards. though it may mean displacing other non- former program participants have gone on have participated in the program. "Not community and to students. NJIT study focuses on OT parkers anti-gridlock methods get reprieve By ELIZABETH CWOMEK By BRIAN P. DUNLEAVY is already in use in the Chicago area. "Wo are on the leading edge in this tech- THE RECORD THE RECORD nology and there is an interest in Route 22 Ar. ongoing New Jersey Institute of specifically because it is a congested artery Shoppers visiting Westfield's downtown Technology (NJIT) study may identify in the morning," Mr. Beaton said. area this holiday season will be able to sources of relief for commuters struggling "Through the use of trains, buses or cars, save some change. H-ith traffic congestion and delays on their we want to, if possible, shift commuters off Starting on Nov. 27, trio day after irorning drive to work. of Route 22 to alternatives like public Thanksgiving, until Christmas Eve, over- Due in December, the preliminary sur- transportation or 1-78." time parkers will be granted a two-hour vey is looking at the need and suitability Mr. Beaton's group is trying to ascertain reprieve before summonses are issued, of advanced traffic and traveler informa- the commuters' willingness and ability to compliments of a resolution recently tion systems in the Union County area, participate in the system. The group is passed by the Town Council. forming a network that would inform studying several media sources for the commuters of accidents or traffic tie-ups transmission of this information into the If a vehicle is parked at an expired on their route to work. home including radio, cable television, metef, it will receive a "warning sum- Specifically, the NJIT work is focusing computer-programmed traveler alert bill- mons" on the windshield on the lioute 22 commuter corridor, boards, phone hotlines, beeper or pager That warning will rend, You aie sum- which is made up of communities like alerts, monitoring of individual locations moned to have a happy and •'•ate holi- Westficld, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Gar- or current routes for the systems's sub- day in Westfteld." If Vie car and sum- wood, Kenilworth arid Cranford. scriber base and fax rnessnges. mons are not moved within two hours, "We arc interested in determining if The study hopes to answer several prob- however, it will be ticketed. people arc interested in having traffic in- lems, determining if people have the type The Westfield Area Chamber of Com- formation alerts somehow transmitted to of equipment necessary in their home, if merce suggested this program to keep their home in the morning, before they they are willing to use it in the morning leave," said Patrick Beaton, an NJIT pro- and if they are willing to change their shoppers in downtown by making it al- fessor of social sciences and policy studies trans|X>rtation plans after they receive the most as easy to park as it is at the who is heading the project. "Wo are trying information. Mr. Beaton and his group malls. to answer several questions with this want to find out what commuters can Tho Council worried employees study. Gin we get information on traffic change, for example, their departure time, would be tho ones taking advantage of incidents in time to allow commuters the their mode of transportation or their route, the program, but allowed the program to choice to leave home at ;i different time, he said. maintain the holiday spirit. A similar pro- take the car instead of the train or take a "We all have a schedule in the morning gram was also in place last year, al- different route? And, Is the quality of in- and some of use would be very hard though there was a significant loss of formation good enough to eneiniroge peo- pressed to change our habits," Mr. Beaton revenue to the town because of the ple to use it?" said. "We need to find out how difficult it fewer number of tickets. List year there The study will consider the? implemen- would be for people to change." were 1,635 summonses issued in No- tation of an Intelligent Vehifle Highway 'Hie study will go ilirectly to the com- System (IVIIS) or an Advanced Traveler muters and create a simulated or "virtual vember and only 407 in December, ac- Information System (ATIS) in the Route reality," beginning with their 6:05 a.m. cup cording to Councilman Ken MacRitchie. 22 corridor. According to Mr. Beaton, the of coffee, Mr. Beaton said. The Chamber of Commerce also sug- technology has the support of several "They have a choice," Mr. Beaton said GEORGE PACCIELLO/THE RECORD gested the shoppers be allowed to park transportation leaders, including Sen. "Are they willing to change when we tell Commuters traverse Route 22 In Union County. An NJIT study could provide in the Shell Gas Station lot, which is Frank Lautcnbcrg, who built the technol- them what type of incident has occurred? solutions and alternatives to the rush hour traffic dilemmas facing the over- currently a permit only lot. Although it is ogy into the Intermodal Surface Trans- Will they change if we provide the train used artery. a permit lot, there are often many open portation Act of 1991. Similar technology (Please turn to page A-3) spaces after 10 a.m. However, the coun- cil did not want to allow shoppers to park there beciuso many employees who have permits may not necessarily $360,000 payment will help satisfy Mount Laurel have arrived by thai time.