Officials Eager to Hit County With Local Issues

As part of its traveling show to interact with individual municipalities and residents in Morris County, the Board of Chosen Freeholders will set up shop for a regular meeting at the Washington Township Municipal Building on July 24 at 7 p.m.

The Washington Township Committee discussed the meeting and possible agenda at its work session on Wednesday night, questioning appropriate topics to bring to the Freeholders for consideration.

A general consensus among the five committeemen was the constant state of flux around Schooley’s Mountain Road, it’s need for repairs, and the amount of traffic that travels on the county roadway on a daily basis.

Mayor Ken Short said the Newburgh Road bridge replacement project, which spans the Musconetcong River and connects Morris County to Warren County, is currently expected to begin in the fall, and will wreak havoc on Schooley’s Mountain Road traffic.

“The last time work was done and [Newburgh Road] was closed, traffic used to back up to the General Store,” Short said. “If we’re going to have the road closed for six to eight months, there are going to be a lot of problems.”

Short alluded to the need for road repairs on Schooley’s Mountain, which are done by the county, and the urgency with which they need to be completed if the Newburgh project is going to begin soon.

Hello Bypass?

A difference of opinion created a slight dust-up last year, when then-Freeholder Director Bill Chegwidden told Short

Now that Chegwidden is no longer a freeholder, Short sees it as an opportunity to bring the idea back to the county.

“We can discuss the bypass with them,” Short said, “and at the very least we need to talk about weight limits on the road and signage for it.”

Ironically, just a few minutes after the committee’s discussion about the topic, a truck stalled on ‘Big Turn’ on Schooley’s Mountain Road Wednesday night.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the municipal building and is open to the public. All residents are encouraged to attend.

What do you want to ask the freeholders about? Will you attend the meeting?