Since the first Planning Board hearing on this issue took place back on May 4th , these meeting have been extremely well attended and have filled the Middletown Court Room (where the meetings are held) with area residents expressing their disapproval of this planned high density, residential redevelopment of the former Avaya industrial site. The main concern of these residents isn’t so much about the number of homes being built as it is about the traffic and safety concerns that need to be properly addressed on the local roads as a result of these homes being built.
The roads over in the Lincroft area are already congested and often impassable during the rush hour or when Brookdale Community College is in session; the intersection that comprises Newman Springs Rd/520, Middletown Lincroft Rd and Swimming River Rd is a nightmare and getting into and out of the shopping centers that surround this intersection is nearly impossible at times. West Front St won’t be easy to navigate around either once residential cars from the redevelopment start to pour out of the back entrance of the site and onto the road.Safety concerns for area residents are valid especially when you factor in "cut-through" streets like Turnberry, Whispering Pines, Jumping Brook, Hillside; cars looking to avoid the congestion of the main roads will no doubt filter through the side streets looking for short-cuts around the traffic. Pedestrians and other vehicles parked on these residential streets will be placed at a higher risk for harm which does not exist now.
That’s why when at the last Planning Board meeting held on August 3rd, Traffic Engineer John Rea presented to the board the results of a traffic study that was completed during March last year, residents were right to question its’ validity.
According to the Brookdale College 2010 academic calendar spring break was held during this time and campus activities were limited, so a representative study wasn’t possible. Rea went on to state that there was a follow up traffic study completed during the week of May 16th 2011 to show that traffic didn't change much.
Coincidentally however, the Brookdale Community College spring semester ended the week before and Christian Bother’s Academy had a shortened academic week and held graduation during this time period. So again, the validity of this follow up traffic study was in question.
Based on this information, I would think that another, more representative study should be completed by a third party before further discussions on the redevelopment of the Avaya site proceeds.
A new study needs to be completed that includes the areas from the intersections of 520/Half Mile Rd, 520/Middletown Lincroft Rd and future developments west of Garden State Parkway. Surrounding areas and planned developments (Bamm Hollow) need to be included and thought out to show the real impact on the community. The study should be done at the peak of traffic season, possible during the 2nd week of October, when the fall session is in full swing at Brookdale for example, to ensure that a true representative sample of traffic conditions are taken. In addition another study should be done during a weekend when residents are home and out shopping to show what the difference in traffic conditions would be. These studies should be done to provide data for a worse-case scenario and provide plans to mitigate traffic increases during peak times.
Before moving forward with this redevelopment of the Avaya site, the Planning Board needs to make sure that a true, accurate and representative traffic study is performed that will take into consideration the concerns of Lincroft and other area residents. This new study should be done by a firm mutually agreed to by Four Ponds Developers, Middletown and the residents that are fighting the planned redevelopment of Avaya, with the costs of the new traffic study being split between the three.
13 comments:
Years ago ( the weekend Brookdale opened in 1967) my family moved into the home we constructed on Swimming River Road. Little did we know what the future held for us with the total lack of planning regarding the roads in Lincroft and the arrival of Brookdale Community College to this community.
What was once a quiet,winding,county road through a most;y rural area became a NIGHTMARE for everyone who lived here. It has only gotten worse over the years and now with more poor planning on the agenda in Middletown.the worst is yet to come,
When do our 0ften inept government representatives finally wake up to the facts of life ? It's always takes a life to make them even smell the coffee! Politics ruins the thought process for so many of those responsible for the nightmares that are created for those who live in this community and anywhere else this happens.
When do those responsible for governing...do just that...govern ?
The concern I heard at the Monmouth County Freeholders Meeting that had on the agenda,the West Front Street bridge that goes over the river into Red Bank from one freeholder,leads me to believe that again the politicians in Middletown are oblivious to contacting the many affected branches of government when county roads are involved in a project that affects county roads.
Is Middletown really oppposed to the Avaya project? Tend to think there is insincerity in this claim. If that is not the case then let the right hand know what the left hand is doing....because help may be as close as the Monmouth County Freeholder Board!!
Well said Mrs. Thorpe. It appears the residents in Lincroft always have to fight for what's right and wrong. It would be nice if our politicians acted accordingly.
Just a year ago they were fighting against a poorly planned Sports complex right down the road from the Avaya site. They knew that would have been a disaster for the area.
Couple that with the 342 new homes proposed and 190 homes at Bamm Hollow and I've got to believe our leaders need their heads examined.
How on earth do these geniuses think our already limited infrastructure will be able to handle and absorb this?
Does anyone think about long term consequences?
The politics in this town make me sick.
Middletown already has more than its share of young people dying on the roads. Middletown Lincroft Road, used by young drivers going to the High School hardly needs an influx of more people and drivers to add to the mix. Every day brings a new reason to regret living here.
With a former Middletown Mayor being the attorney representing the developer, I think we can surmise what the outcome of this will be.
They need the votes in Lincroft so they will be pulling a rabbit out of thier whatever to keep Lincroft on thier side. It will make them look like heroes, until the next issue comes up. Everyone will yell and scream, bring attention to the issue then the GOP will ride in on thier "horses" to save the day.
Anonymous 4:50 you are so correct.
Any "rabbit out of a hat" will just indicate these republicans are as trustworthy as snakes.
Will this be Fiore's "Tongue Tied For a Reason" likes Scharfenberger's "Tongue Tied For a Reason" last year.
Expect anything because these character actors are capable of that behavior.
Asbury Park Press keep us posted on the next Academy Award !!!
The residents of Lincroft should attend the Middletown Planning Board meetings on this subject. It's eye opening to see how the interest of the people has waned on this topic. If the people are trusting the rumors from the mayor's office. Think again and don't vote party lines.....vote with intelligence for a change !!!
How can you depend on a traffic study done by the developer? How many reports did the developer get before he got a favorable one for his development? The traffic engineer is hired by the developer of course he is going to side with them if he ever wants to get hired again for their future projects. These traffic studies are not exact sceience as the formulas and variables can be manipulated. How many interesections are redisgned down the road. Middletown has NO PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE. How do you not take into consideration Bamm Hollow and Brookdale growth?
Nothing happens on a county road without the approval of Monmouth County.
I doubt the County has even been consulted by our inadequate TC leaders in Middletown Township. This TC has a talent for politics and distorting the facts and not much else when we speak about governing.
The Planning Board is trying to do the job that should have first been done by the TC. This rezoning should never have taken place and the decision to do so reeks of incompetence. Had Middletown met it's COAH requirements over the years instead of " social and economic " engineering, fostered by the chairperson of the planning board ,in their zoning decisions this Avaya decision would never have been needed in the first place to comply with the laws of this state.
As usual the rhetoric this administration has indulged in solves no problems. Defiance of the law solves no problems and whining about the law solves no problems.
Until the courts change the law about affordable housing (unlikely), the time of reckoning has come. We will suffer the mistakes of all past republican administrations. They have been the majority in this community for well over thirty years. There is no one else to blame.
NO ONE.....
Amen, Barbara!
COAH has nothing to do with affordable housing. It is about builders and the increased value of property if you can threaten the town into giving you the right to build on your land. There is plenty of affordable housing in Middletown. Even more would be available if the town would allow our empty nesters to have legal Mother-Daughter housing. I am all for affordable housing & 100% against this Four Ponds plan in Lincroft. Way too many units that will hurt property values & decrease our standard of living. Do we really need a traffic study to show that adding 1000 cars to this location will cause a traffic nightmare? Or that adding 2,000 plus people to this location will overflow our sewer system? Every single member of the town counsil that unanimously voted for this project voiced opposition to it on the record as something that would have a devastating impact on Lincroft and middletown as a whole. However, they had to vote for it because they did not have time to find another way of meeting the COAH obligation. This project needs to be killed. If tax breaks to the owner to keep it commercial will do the trick then Middletown needs to get it done.
Annoymous 3:44....why do the representatives of Four Ponds keep referring to the COAH buildings and why does COAH stand for Council on Affordable Housing. Your statement is hypocritical .
Think some of this "theatre" is all about the politically connected lawyers making lots of money too!
Since what has happened in Middletown for too many years because of the political climate and the attitude of those who were in charge of developement and the planning board,there are no more excuses except,inept,incompetent individuals who are and were arrogant and only entertain their own reasoning and be damned with the laws of the land.
Money is the root of all that is evil!
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