The scope of the improvement project includes an American with Disabilities compliant ramp on Browertown Road at the intersection of Stewart Avenue (east side); and crosswalks across Stewart Avenue at both Browertown Road and at the Little Falls Morris Canal Greenway.
In addition, approximately 700 feet of new sidewalks will be constructed along Browertown Road from the Passaic Valley High School entrance to Stewart Avenue. This, according to the Transportation Alternatives Project, will create a safer route for students and residents that live on Browertown to local businesses and to access the Morris Canal Greenway.
Construction is scheduled to commence next April 2017 and will take approximately 4 months to complete.
A sidewalk to no-where.
ReplyDeleteAt what cost to taxpayers?
I'm pretty sure this was a grant so, no cost to taxpayers.
DeleteThe Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) was established by Congress in 2012 under MAP-21 and FAST Act in 2015, and is funded through a set-aside of the Federal-aid Highway Program. Do you pay federal taxes? Then guess what, you are paying for it.
DeleteShouldn't the funds be going to what they were originally intended for?
Students have requested this for a long time. Sidewalks on Browertown Rd would be safer for pedestrians who are often seen walking from shoprite.
ReplyDeleteWhy would a PVHS student want a side walk going to ShopRite?
ReplyDeleteIs it to park their cars there illegally?
Because they have a job there? Because thy need the safety of a sidewalk? God forbid w make any improvements to an already dilapidated infrastructure.We should all retreat to our caves and watch the Trump team dismantle this once great country. Who needs sidewalks? Who needs health insurances? Who needs civil rights?
DeleteHave you seen what the county is preparing to do on Browertown Road in their Morris Canal Greenway Project? They are going to use all of the “Right of Way” on both sides of the road to put in sidewalks, curbs, and bicycle lanes from Stewart Avenue to the side entrance of Passaic Valley High School.
DeleteSome homeowners will now step out of their front door directly onto the county sidewalk. Others will no longer to be able to park in their driveways. Trees, shrubs, and other landscaping will be bulldozed and paved over. Buffer zones that used to protect their homes from errant speeding cars will no longer exist. Property values will plummet.
Why is this being done? It’s all for the safety of PVHS students walking to ShopRite. The county and students stated that the “safe route” created over 50 years ago, “wasn’t in as nice of condition(benches) as the rest of the path and when we visited the place, we found almost no one using it. We also found it impractical for PV students or residents to use the path in general.” If safety was their greatest concern, how practical is it to walk on Browertown Road?
If you have ever driven on Browertown, you already know how fast the cars go and how narrow and dangerous it is. Imagine what it will be like when vehicles get to the curve in front of PV’s side entrance and the freeway ends. LOOK OUT!!!!” It will also be like playing Russian Roulette as people try to pull out of shortened driveways, Stewart Avenue, and/or the PV side entrance with the even faster traffic.
I have a smarter and GREENER WAY to address the safety and connectivity between PV and ShopRite. Now that ShopRite is developing 10 acres that it purchased from PV wouldn’t it be better to build a pathway along the football and baseball fields from PV to ShopRite? That way the Greenway Grant could be used for what it was intended to be used for in the first place, and eliminate the need to destroy the property and lives of the residents of Browertown Road.
Correction: It was 1.5 acres subdivided from a 10.5 acres plot in 2013.
DeleteI live on Main Street and I want a sidewalk on Browertown from Main Street to Shoprite.
ReplyDeleteI have lived on Browertown for 35 years and I walk too. I walk to the municipal building to pay my property taxes. I walk to the Post Office to pay my Federal and State taxes. I even walk to ShopRite. Guess what? I've never been hit by a car!
DeleteI walk along the correct side of the road and I watch where I am going. I don't walk on people's lawns and I don't look at my phone while I'm walking.
So students requested sidewalks for a long time.
ReplyDeleteWhat does the homeowners on Browertown Road want?
What do Little Falls tax payers want?
Is this how the Passaic County freeholders spend our tax dollars? What a waste.
It is time to elect Republican freeholders on November 8th.
The decision for the "improvements ?" should be decided by the homeowners of Browertown Road not the politicians and not the students of PVHS. There are old growth trees, gardens and driveways to be considered. In addition to the loss of land, there will be garbage thrown on the lawns or in the streets in front of the houses by uncaring pedestrians. It's nice to have a much needed sidewalk, I wish we had one on Notch Road. But when requested, I was told it's a county road so it's up to the county not the town.
ReplyDeleteMr. Reynolds comment is on point. When were the Browertown homeowners asked if they wanted a sidewalk?
ReplyDeleteWe can look this up, but there is a 4 foot right of way from the edge of the road in that the municipality can take WITHOUT asking your permission. I'v heard of this in the past and after the sidewalk was put in towards Shoprite for those three, or four houses, they weren't asked for their opinion. Its the same all over. They did it in North Haledon a few years ago.....no one was asked if they liked it or not, the township just went ahead and did it.
DeleteAll the homeowners were surveyed and spoken to. The public meeting was to get additional info and feedback
ReplyDeleteLast year, when I met and spoke with the team of PVHS students taking on this task I was immediately interested in what they were trying to accomplish. They had come to my house with the information and survey and we ended up having an extended conversation. I was very interested since I took on almost the same cause many years ago. I went door to door, I went to Little Falls city council meetings, Passaic County meetings and I met with the P.C. Sheriffs Dept. and the Little Falls P.D.
DeleteLike all of us here on this road, we know just how very dangerous it is and live it every day. You don’t have to be a resident here all that long before you realize the combination of a narrow, winding road, no buffer between the road and homes and pedestrians and no police presence is a dangerous combination. My house has been hit by a car and both my neighbors have had cars end up on their front property. All three were speeding, all three were careless, or reckless and all three were going North on Browertown, crossed over the road to the South side and ended up on our property! The home with the guard rail just past the PV driveway is probably one of the safest places to be. It might not be pretty to look at, but it’s a great barrier between a speeding vehicle missing that bend and going crashing into that home!
In defense of the police, our road is very hard to setup on. Doing radar is almost impossible unless you dedicate two units; one to clock the speed, the other to do the stop. This is not to say a police presence couldn’t be displayed and I pretty sure many of you here on Browertown Rd would, like I did, offer your driveway to a cop to park for a while. Plus there’s the PV driveway and Stewart where a unit could just sit there. The motorists don’t know the cop isn’t doing radar, but they do see a cop and they will slow down. I remember complaining enough to get a series of traffic enforcement days here and it made a difference. Do this often enough, sporadically throughout the week and months and pretty soon you’ll see traffic slow down because folks just won’t know when there’s going to be a cop, or not.
The speeding on our road by cars, trucks and buses is horrible and when PV lets out it’s like the green light at a drag race. The best spot to have a police unit is at Stewart because by the time they hit that, these kids are doing at least 40MPH, if not more. I can say that with accuracy since I’ve been here since 1988 and live three houses away from the PV driveway!
Right now there’s enough pedestrian traffic on my side of Browertown Rd. you can see a path being worn in the grass. I do it myself and walk in off the road at least 10 feet and when I’m cutting my front lawn, I am very, very aware of traffic.
I read here about people complaining their looing frontage and a tree here and there. You’re preaching the choir here since I’m not all that thrilled with loosing what little frontage I have and I’m also losing a large tree I planted, an evergreen, pavers and possibly a weeping cherry…..I get it! I’d like things to be different, but they’re not so let’s all just deal with the reality of it. I’d like it if, when they built these homes {on the PV side} many decades ago, why didn’t they bring them back another 20, or 30 feet off the road? We all have deep lots and plenty of room, but that’s not reality either.
What is reality is everything I just outlined here and there needs to be some sort of a solution to offer another level of safety to the residents that live, walk and bike this road. It would appear sidewalks are the most readily available option to that end.
Let's not rush to conclusions. I repeat the comment raised by "Z"
Delete"It isn't confirmed and it is still just an idea. We will try to look at all the options before making a move. It should be noted that in order for a sidewalk to be built, we would need a unanimous approval from the residents."
When did we give our "unanimous approval"?
All of the residents were surveyed by the PVHS students: NOT the county: NOT the Morris Greenway agents; and NOT the people who came up with this unnecessary and reckless plan.
DeleteThe residents received a letter dated Oct 11, 2016, announcing the Oct. 19th "Open House." That was the very first notice anyone in this area received. It contained teeny tiny pictures of what the project entailed and had a map that was marked with yellow and red lines with no explanations as to what they meant or how the project would affect residents.
How would feel if you found out only 5 months before everything you worked for was going to become a living hell?
In January of 2015, a group of students from PVHS got together and decided to find a way to address the transportation and pedestrian safety hazards on Browertown Road, specifically the area between PVHS and Shoprite. The students had first researched the area in question and developed a solution, which was to have a sidewalk installed on the Westside. They then surveyed the residents who would be affected by the sidewalk, including the residents on the Eastside who would not receive the sidewalk. In the survey, they outlined their intention to lobby local governments to have a sidewalk built on Browertown Road. After the surveys and speaking to the residents, they determined that the sidewalk proposal should be complimented by the installation of a Stop Sign and two Speed Limit Signs, to help address the rampant speeding on the road, a concern raised by local residents. A Police patrol was also requested. A 1000 signature petition was conducted to raise awareness of the safety hazards on Browertown Road, and to get feedback on the proposal to install a sidewalk.
ReplyDeleteThe sidewalk would serve to benefit the safety of the residents on Browertown Road, the customers at ShopRite of Little Falls, those who wish to utilize the Morris Canal Pathway, and the students at Passaic Valley High School. As part of the research conducted by the group of students at PVHS, footage was taken of students walking on Browertown Road after a snowstorm. It was discovered that when the snow had piled up on the sides of the main road, their was no clear pathway for the students to walk on, instead they were forced to walk on the street.
The taxpayers of Little Falls are investing the safety of the citizens of little falls which includes residents on Browertown Road and students at Passaic Valley High School.
I would rather have the local residents complain about the loss of trees, gardens, and driveways than the lack of safety measures that could've been implemented on this busy road.
Let's not rush to conclusions. I repeat the comment raised by "Z"
Delete"It isn't confirmed and it is still just an idea. We will try to look at all the options before making a move. It should be noted that in order for a sidewalk to be built, we would need a unanimous approval from the residents."
When did we give our "unanimous approval"?
The original "GREENWAY" grant was intended to improve and extend the natural atmosphere the canal provides for pedestrian and bicyclists. It was not to support the bulldozing of trees and lawns to pave a roadway which will only encourage more vehicular traffic and speeding.
ReplyDeleteI do not feel that a sidewalk and bicycle lane would be good additions to Browertown. The Morris Canal Pathway, which runs behind the houses on Browertown addresses the safety concerns for students. It provides safe passage for pedestrians and bicyclists. The school crossing guard at its end facilitates safe crossing of Long Hill Road and the one at PV for crossing East Main Street.
My landscaping already suffered damage when Browertown was widened through the highway work done a few years back. This widening enabled vehicles to travel even faster than they had previously and the installation of the Traffic Light encourages some drivers to try and beat the red light.
The new plan will also widen Browertown from Stewart to PV to allow for bicycle traffic. With the safety hazards already identified by these students, who in their right mind would want to ride a bicycle there? Hmm, is that why the bicyclists I see now, including me, ride on the canal pathway?
I have a beautiful 100 plus years old, rare tree that provides shade and the rural atmosphere I moved to Little Falls for 30 years ago. My front yard has already been narrowed by 4 feet and my landscaping would suffer even more damage from this unnecessary construction. Extending the sidewalk will only foster even more speeding on Browertown, cause even more serious accidents, increase the beeping and screeching of brakes that already occurs and encourage more students to park illegally at ShopRite and on other local roads.
The speed limit needs to be enforced and pedestrians need to follow pedestrian safety rules. Most, if not all, of the PV students walking along Browertown have parked illegally at ShopRite or roads in this area. Many walk 2 and 3 abreast, most looking down at their phones and do not follow pedestrian safety rules by walking facing the flow of traffic or even looking up at the traffic.
I forgot to include this statement I received from the student proposing the project.
Delete"It isn't confirmed and it is still just an idea. We will try to look at all the options before making a move. It should be noted that in order for a sidewalk to be built, we would need a unanimous approval from the residents."
When did we give our "unanimous approval"?
I just read another idea from one of my neighbors in that flier attached to my mailbox. That suggestion is constructing a walkway along the football filed to Shoprite as part of their expansion. I like that idea. Its great for the students, but the rest of us that walk this road will have to remain on people lawns until we reach the upper sidewalk before Shoprite. That expansion plan for Shoprite by the way, is going to make things worse around here, not better. There's one part of me that believes this will make our road safer, but there's another part of me that is virtually certain a wider road will only encourage traffic to go even faster than they are now. I think the LFPD is great, I really do, but I believe there will be no increased police presence and nothing proactive will be done for enforcement. Believe me, all the signs in the world aint gonna makes a difference. Once the everyday travelers know there are no cops out for enforcement, its a free for all....same old, same old. You all can read my long comment up there for the rest.
DeleteI am the person who has been passing out the flyers on Browertown. I am interested in working with other residents who oppose this project. We could call ourselves RAMBO (Residents Against Morris/Browertown Option). I have already posted a sign on my front door with that on it. I have also hung out a bag with some of my flyers and signs. Feel free to stop by and take one if you are interested in this situation.
DeleteA few homeowners have already sent me emails voicing their appreciation for my flyers and offering support for this cause. If you are interested in working with us or receiving updates, you may leave a note in my mailbox or email me. My email address was included on the last flyer.
If anyone is interested in voicing their concerns about the loss of trees along Browertown Road, the LF Shade Tree Commission will be meeting on Nov. 29th at 4:30 P.M. I have already had conversations with Phil Simone of the LFSC about this issue. I haven’t contacted any other LF representatives, as the elections were going on, but there is a Township Council Regular Meeting on Nov 28th at 7:00 p.m. if any wants to attend. I have also contacted a few county and canal representatives and am awaiting their responses.
I agree with you that this project will cause even more dangerous conditions on Browertown Road. Imagine what it will be like when vehicles get to the curve in front of PV”S side entrance and the freeway ends. LOOK OUT!!!!” It will be like playing Russian Roulette as people try to pull out of shortened driveways, Stewart Avenue, and/or the PV side entrance with the even faster traffic.
I have opposed the continuation of the sidewalks since 2006 when the state was reconstructing the Rte 46/Browertown Road Interchange. The county agreed with me then. I voiced my opposition in the student survey of 2015, too. It’s amazing that the student didn’t have any concerns about walking along Browertown until he got his license. Coincidence?
Z, the MC Greenway path behind the homes on the east side of Browertown only extends so far, and then it ends. The purpose of the sidewalk is to connect the Greenway path in Little Falls to the one in Woodland Hills. These sections of Greenway only look like "paths to nowhere" when you don't consider the whole picture.
DeleteZ: Could you please send a copy of the RAMBO flyer to: Gadfly07424@aol.com
ReplyDeleteRAMBO stands for Residents Against Morris/Browertown Option. I have hung a bag on my front door containing my flyers and RAMBO Door Signs. If anyone is interested in learning more about this project or supporting our cause, please feel free to avail yourself to these materials.
DeleteLOOK OUT CEDAR GROVE ROAD RESIDENTS!!!
ReplyDeleteAs I was researching the RAMBO situation I found this on Facebook:
Student Advocates for Safety
August 4, 2015 ·
Today, we're announcing our new Jr. SAFS and a new project to work on Cedar Grove Road. Parents, your child can simply join by emailing us at studentadvocatesforsafety@gmail.com with your child's name and city they're living. With the Cedar Grove Road project we talked with families on the street asking them their thoughts on what SAFS can help make the street safe. Details to follow soon.