Does not make any sense!

(09/03/10 5:28pm)

I have just read in the newspaper that the Township Committee members plan on re-zoning Hanover Avenue for retail/big box stores, etc.  Three of them also plan on reducing Ridgedale Avenue between Cedar Knolls Road and Malapardis Rd. from four lanes to two lanes.  What are they thinking? 

Create a zone so that stores like Target or Lowes can build and also reduce the width of the road that leads there!  

Do they really think that drivers will use other roadways rather than sit in traffic.  Have they ever driven through Main Street in Madison on weekends or rush hour?  Route 24 is the alternate route and Main Street is still jammed. 

Does the TC really think that shoppers will prefer to use other already over burdened roads in town when Ridgedale Avenue is the most direct route to Hanover Avenue.  

Why is Ridgedale Ave. being so coveted?

Does not make any sense!

hanoveradvocate

I would love to see a Lowes built on the Berlex site. But, there must be other ways to limit the traffic on Ridgedale Ave other than reducing the size. Speed bumps, reduced speed limits, more police surveillance. We need the ratables, not asinine ideas. We all want less traffic congestion. Reducing the width of Ridgedale will not make traffic better. Traffic will just be at a standstill more often.

hanoveradvocate

The rezoning of Hanover Ave was passed on 8/12 (very quickly). If they can pull off the Ridgedale Ave changes it would be great but like you say probably unlikely. They will definately need to do something on Ridgedale.

htuser44

Did anyone consider the fact that right in the middle of the project to make Ridgedale Avenue smaller, there is a firehouse.  Do the firemen or the residents in Cedar Knolls feel comfortable with a project like this one that will certainly cause increased traffic congestion on a street used by a fire company and could potentially delay emergency responses.  Isn't there an ambulance company working out of that firehouse also?

This project is absolutely uncalled for and just plain silly - it is amazing that anyone could come up with a plan to move Hanover Township backward.   This would be a waste of taxpayer money during good economic times, but considering today's budget problems -- what are they thinking??"

"Amazed Resident"

OMGosh DO IT! I live in Cedar Knolls and drive on Ridgedale all the time. It's a hot mess and dangerous. The two lanes create a hazard at Mountain Ave due to people making left hand turns, and people drive on Ridgedale like it's a raceway. Narrowing the road would probably lead to more of a 'small town feel' which, in conjunction with the improvements made to the Pronto Deli site may be at least a start in the right direction. Why would we want to make it easier for people to zoom through town to get to a Target or Lowes? They're going to go there anyway, why not take Whippany Rd or 202 and leave 'downtown Cedar Knolls' to the residents.

We can't have our cake and eat it, too. We can't actively seek and increase our ratables and wish for a "small town feel". Unless, that is, your image of a quaint Cedar Knolls involves a steady stream of single-file cars from 3p-7p. Leave well enough alone - figure out a better way that doesn't involve tearing up the $200k we JUST SPENT on repaving Ridgedale. I would LOVE to see some Independents on the ballot. Even people who voted for John Ferramosca (the mastermind behind the idea) are scratching their heads. Sigh...

simpleman9

They can start by enforcing the weight limit on Ridgedale Ave! Just looked and the Board of Adjustments agenda for 9/28. Who is Hanover Aquisitions LLC and Hanover Ridgedale LLC? They are already proposing a sub-division on Hanover Ave. What is that about?

htuser44