Crosswalk Installed on Schooley's Mtn. Road
Contentious issue put to rest after Freeholders' meeting.
Photos
Walkers and bikers alike will now have a safe zone to walk from one side of Schooley's Mountain Road to another at the Columbia Trail head, after a crosswalk was installed Thursday morning.
The thermo-striping of the crosswalk took approximately one hour to complete, according to one of the workers who installed it. The issue, however, has lasted more than a year.
Recent comments and letters to the Morris County Board of Freeholders from town officials have asked that safety measures be made to portions of the county road–one that has seen 25 motor vehicle accidents between Camp Washington and East Mill Roads over the past five years, according to the Washington Township Police Department.
At the Washington Township Committee work session on May 16, Morris County's chief engineer, Steve Hammond, said the county is aware of the issue and need for a crosswalk at the trail head, but that it was the responsibility of the Morris County Parks Commission.
After that meeting, cones with "Trail Closed" signs were placed in the parking lot of the trail's entryway.
Washington Township Green Team members Gregg Forsbrey and Joseph Keyes attended the Freeholders meeting on Wednesday, May 23 to raise the issue, according to a blog on Long Valley Patch.
Three members of the Morris County Department of Public Works–not the Parks Commission–installed the crosswalk Thursday morning, and said all that's left to do is install the ADA-compliant, handicapped-accessible ramps on each side of the crosswalk.
The workers expected that would take place in the next week to 10 days.
PD73
11:38 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Sometimes the most LOGICAL things just take the longest to get done!
FourScore
11:49 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Great! Now what about where the path crosses on Naughight and Four Bridges???
Tracy Tobin
6:41 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
Jason
The issue is not closed yet. As you noted in the article the ADA ramps still have to be installed, then signs have to be installed alerting drivers about the crosswalk/bicycle crossing. Hope the ten day estimate for completion is accurate.
Moses Lonn
11:58 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
@ Tracy, did they say WHICH ten days?
wt-taxpayer
12:37 pm on Friday, May 25, 2012
I'm really glad that partisan politics are not an issue at the local level... the best happens when local citizens get involved without regard for party affiliations... Unfortunately, too often we see people blocking good ideas and good people from doing what is best for communities because they look for party affiliations instead of the work and common sense required to get things done. This is a great less on how citizens - not politicians - make things happen... as something Margaret Mead once said ... 'Never underestimate the power of a small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.' We all have this power to get things done - thank you, Joe Keyes and Greg Foresbrey for doing this work and reminding us all of what this means.