The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
With all this noise about parking what happens to an individual with a handicapped card or plate? Because of the EXTREMELY limited amount of handicapped parking, where are we supposed to go? Particularly since many of us don’t have a download app on our phones?
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT will hold a series of public hearings to gather information and feedback on the Senior Citizen and Disabled Residents Transportation Assistance Program (SCDRTAP). SCDRTAP funds capital, operating, and/or administrative expenses for locally coordinated paratransit services for senior citizens and people with disabilities.
The public is invited to the December hearings below at which time they will have a full opportunity to express their views regarding NJ TRANSIT’S 2019 SCDRTAP funding.
Three hearings will take place in different geographic regions of the state. The locations are Freehold, Westampton and Newark. Each hearing will have an afternoon and evening session. In order to ensure that all members of the public are given an opportunity to be heard, comments will be limited to five minutes.
SENIOR CITIZEN & DISABLED RESIDENTS TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM HEARINGS
Central PLACE: Monmouth Agricultural Building
Region Conference Room, #1
4000 Kozloski Road
Freehold, NJ 07728
DATE: Wednesday, December 12, 2018
TIME: 2:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Southern PLACE: Burlington County Human Services Facility
Region Lecture Hall A
795 Woodlane Road
Westampton, NJ 08060
DATE: Monday, December 17, 2018
TIME: 2:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Northern PLACE: NJ TRANSIT Headquarters
Region Conference Room 10 A
Two Penn Plaza East
Newark, NJ 07105-2246
DATE: Wednesday, December 19, 2018
TIME: 2:00 p.m. & 6:00 p.m.
by Jim O’Connor
Two problems:
1. Business owners do not understand the law.
2. People exploit the loopholes.
Continue reading Reader Comments on Service Dogs Denied Access in Ridgewood
July 27,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, Village of Ridgewood Mayor Ramon Hache celebrates the 28th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Hache said . “Very grateful to have had the opportunity to celebrate the 28th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act at Ridgecrest. Thank you Sue Ullrich for the invitation.”
June 19,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, this comes up almost every year. The Village has even gone as far as to press charges on a plastic sheep .
The rules seem to be unevenly applied in the past .
Reader says “The restaurants Ad Hoc sidewalk patio table walls are growing in number
look at chestnut corner burgher restaurant..they are made of steel..try getting up on to the sidewalk from a parked car ..good luck….then add in the flower pot plantings further narrowing the walks ..these are even worse for elders and handicapped pedestrians exiting a car or assist a ride buses even during off hours..are these permitted by town?”
Boyd Loving , “The Village’s Code Enforcement Official has been observed in the past with a tape measure in hand checking to ensure restaurants were not encroaching on the ADA required passage widths of sidewalks. I know of at least one (1) restaurant that was issued a summons for an alleged encroachment. If you have a specific complaint, you could refer it to the Code Enforcement Official. See link to her name, e-mail address, and phone number below.”
Reader ….
“I finally googled “handicapped requirements for historic properties”. It clearly states that historic properties are NOT excused from the ADA requirements. It agrees it might take a lot of work and evaluation to modify an historic property to make it accessible to all. It also states that “no building is grandfathered from the handicap regulations no matter how old and historic it actually is.” The council either has not taken this into consideration in the cost of “saving” the Schedler house, or believes that Isabella, being an architect, knew what she was talking about. So why is Ridgewood planning to restore (rebuild) a property that they will be unable to let the public use if everyone cannot enter—and go up and down at each new addition as none of the floors are actually level from room to room.”
Mayor Susan Knudsen responds ….
HI ,
Historic Architect Margaret Hickey included handicap accessibility in the Schedler house restoration plans. In fact, at a recent meeting there was a great deal of discussion about accessibility features and required modifications.
Hope all is well.
Best always,
Susan
Mayor Susan Knudsen
September 13,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the state of New Jersey along with the New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center (BPRC) is pushing a plan to make your streets safer and more user friendly for ,pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles with a series of planning and design initiates .
According to there website , “Complete Streets are for everyone. They are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users… [so that] pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transportation users of all ages and ability are able to safely move along and across [the street].”
The Complete streets program is being spearheaded by the New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center (BPRC) assists public officials, transportation and health professionals, and the public in creating a safer and more accessible walking and bicycling environment through primary research, education and dissemination of information about best practices in policy and design. The Center is supported by the New Jersey Department of Transportation through funds provided by the Federal Highway Administration.
The Village of Ridgewood signed a Complete Streets Resolution back in 2013 , ( https://njbikeped.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Ridgewood-Complete-Streets-Resolution.pdf ) and while some efforts have been a success like well defined ADA compliant highly visible cross walks and curbs other attempts , like the “suicide bike lane ” and traffic easing under the trestle have been an unmitigated failure .
What are the Components of Complete Streets?
Pedestrian Component: defined as “the clear area located between the curb and the adjacent building frontage” . Key Complete Streets design elements for this component include appropriate sidewalk widths and ADA accessible curb ramps
Building and furnishing: refers to “street furniture, elements of buildings that intrude into the sidewalk, and commercial activities that occur on the sidewalk…” and includes design elements such as bicycle parking, pedestrian-scale lighting, benches/street furniture, and street trees
Bicycle: addresses “bikeways and other facilitates within the public right-of-way…” and includes design elements such as bicycle lanes (regular, buffered, contraflow, etc.), cycle tracks, share-use paths, shared lanes/sharrows, and bike route signs
Curbside Management: relates to “facilities between the cartway and the sidewalk” and includes design elements such as on-street car parking, on-street bicycle parking, loading zones, and transit shelters.
Vehicle/Cartway: describes the “portion of the public right-of-way that is intended primarily or exclusively for motor vehicle use…” [11] and includes design elements such as appropriately sized lane widths, speed humps/tables, raised medians, chicanes, and preferred/exclusive bus lanes
Urban Design: addresses “policies related to those aspects of urban form that affect Complete Streets” such as driveways, utilities, and stormwater management.
Intersection & Crossing: includes treatments that “…facilitate safe movement of all modes at intersections” [13] including high-visibility crosswalks (striped, raised, etc.), curb extensions, pedestrian refuge islands, bike boxes, and a variety of signal treatments (e.g., pedestrian countdown clocks, HAWK/RRFB signals, bicycle signals, etc.).
I’m handicapped (but not yet 80) but I have to totally agree with your statement. “I’m not parked, I’m just waiting for someone.” (Yeah, BUT you’re “waiting” in a handicapped spot making it inaccessible for use.) Funny, that young man (?) cut me off for the handicapped space and just ran up those steps. Gee, is his name really Gracie? That’s what is on the temporary placard. Handicapped spots are regularly abused…..
……Garage issue should be officially dead by now. There are many who have handicapped decals who shouldn’t have them, or have them because a family member is handicapped. Anyone who uses one of these who is less than 80 or is not clearly handicapped should be publicly beaten. I have approached more than one able-bodied handicap space user who was outraged that I questioned their sense of entitlement. they ruin it for all.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Blog has learned the Ridgewood new code enforcement officer has been making the rounds in the CBD counting chairs and tables to check if restaurants are in compliance with their the outdoor cafe permits . She has issued several written warning for those that are in violation. We wonder if she is also check for encroachments in to the pedestrian right of way? Is she checking for planters and flower pots that made impeded people from walking or parking their car ( and lets nor forget people with disabilities) ? Does she do her checking during her 9-5 work day or does she come out at night and on the weekend when restaurants load up the sidewalk and tables?
Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving
30% cost overrun for ramps at Graydon Pool & Lester Stable
October 10 ,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Due to an estimating error made by the Village’s Engineering Department, the new handicapped ramps at Graydon Pool and the Lester Stable will cost $28k more than anticipated, an increase of approximately 30% above what was originally projected.
According to Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld, the error was associated with miscalculating the quantity of materials needed for the project.
No word as to whether any disciplinary action was taken as a result of the mistake.
Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Twenty-five years ago, through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), our nation committed itself to eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division is proud to play a critical role in enforcing the ADA, working towards a future in which all the doors are open to equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, integration and economic self-sufficiency for persons with disabilities. In honor of the 25th anniversary of the ADA, each month the Department of Justice will spotlight efforts that are opening gateways to full participation and opportunity for people with disabilities.
ADA : Good Intentions Gone Bad
BY JOHN STOSSEL
You own a business, maybe a restaurant. You’ve got a lot to worry about. You have to make sure the food is safe and tastes good, that the place is clean and appealing, that workers are friendly and paid according to a hundred Labor Department and IRS rules.
On top of that, there are rules you might have no idea about. The bathroom sinks must be a specified height. So must the doorknobs and mirrors. You must have rails. And if these things aren’t right — say, if your mirror is just one inch too high — you could be sued for thousands of dollars.
And be careful. If you fail to let a customer bring a large snake, which he calls his “service animal,” into your restaurant, you could be in trouble.
All of this is because of the well-intentioned Americans With Disabilities Act, which President George H.W. Bush signed 20 years ago.
The ADA was popular with Republicans and Democrats. It passed both houses of Congress with overwhelming majorities, 377 to 28 in the House and 91 to 6 in the Senate.
What does it do? The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities, requiring businesses to provide the disabled “equal access” and to make “reasonable accommodation” for employees. Tax credits and deductions are available for special equipment (talking computers, for instance) and modifying buildings to comply with the accessibility mandate.
The ADA was supposed to help more disabled people find jobs. But did it?
https://www.creators.com/opinion/john-stossel/good-intentions-gone-bad.html
Strangely, no. An MIT study found that employment of disabled men ages 21 to 58 declined after the ADA went into effect. Same for women ages 21 to 39.
How could employment among the disabled have declined?
Because the law turns “protected” people into potential lawsuits. Most ADA litigation occurs when an employee is fired, so the safest way to avoid those costs is not to hire the disabled in the first place.
https://www.creators.com/opinion/john-stossel/good-intentions-gone-bad.html
BID NOTICE: Lester Stable and Graydon Pool Lot ADA Access Sloped Ramps
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
Sealed bid proposals will be received by the Village of Ridgewood, in the Level Three (3) conference room at the Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, 07450 on Wednesday, July 1, 2015, at 11:00 A.M., prevailing time, and then publicly opened and read aloud for the following:
“Lester Stable and Graydon Pool Parking Lot
ADA Access Sloped Ramps”
The work of the Contract shall consist of the construction of concrete sloped entry ramps complying with the American’s With Disabilities Act requirements for the Village of Ridgewood’s Lester Stable and Graydon Pool Parking Lot. Principal items of the work include, but are not limited to the following: 4 and 6 inch thick concrete sidewalk, Belgian Block and Concrete Curbs, Hot Mix Asphalt driveways, placement of topsoil/seeding/ fertilizing, a set of concrete steps, hand railings, concrete edge protection, field stone work with re-pointing, and construction of a small concrete structural wall in accordance with the technical specifications, descriptions, and drawings in the bid documents.
Specifications and bid forms may be obtained by mail from the office of the Division of Engineering, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450 for a non-refundable fee of $25.00 per set of bid documents. Documents may be examined or picked up in person between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450, Monday through Friday. Prospective bidders requesting bid documents be mailed to them shall be responsible for providing their own postage/delivery service remuneration. No specifications and/or proposal forms shall be given out after 4:30 p.m. on Monday, June 29, 2015.
The contractual obligation of the Village of Ridgewood under this Contract for these items is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds from which payment for this Contract can be made. Prices quoted must be net and exclusive of all Federal, State and Local Sales and Excise Taxes. Bids may be submitted in person or by mail, addressed to the Office of the Village Clerk. The Village assumes no responsibility for loss or non-delivery of any bid sent to it prior to the Bid opening.
Each bid must be enclosed in a sealed envelope with the name of the bidder thereon and endorsed, “Lester Stable and Graydon Pool Parking Lot ADA Access Sloped Ramps” and must be accompanied by a certified check, cashier’s check, or Bid Bond (Schedule B), drawn to the order of the Village of Ridgewood for ten (10%) percent of the amount bid or $20,000.00 whichever is less; a Consent of Surety (Schedule A); a Corporation or Partnership Statement (Schedule C); a Non-Collusion Affidavit (Schedule D); and a Statement of Responsibility (Schedule E). Any award or partial awards may be made at a later or subsequent time or meeting of the Village Council. All required schedules, that is Schedule A, B, C, D, E, and F, shall be submitted on the forms attached to the bid documents. No other forms will be accepted.
The successful bidder shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Prevailing Wage Act, as determined by the New Jersey Department of Labor. All contractors, their subcontractors, and material suppliers shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Public Works Contractor Registration Act, pursuant to Public Law 1999 Chapter 238 and the Contractor Business Registration Program, pursuant to Public Law 2004 Chapter 57. Evidence of satisfactory registrations shall be submitted at the time of the bid. All bids submitted shall contain a copy of the bidder’s New Jersey Business Registration Certificate and a copy of the Certificate of Employee Information Report.
The successful bidder shall furnish and deliver to the Village of Ridgewood a performance and payment bond (Schedule F) in the amount of 100 percent of the accepted bid amount as security for the faithful performance of the Contract. Additionally, the successful bidder shall furnish policies or Certificates of Insurance required by the Contract. In default thereof, said checks and/or bid bond and the amount represented thereby shall be forfeited to the Village of Ridgewood as liquidated damages, not as a penalty.
Proposals submitted by Bidders and/or Bidder’s Insurance Company(is) not chartered in the State of New Jersey, must be accompanied by proper certificate(s) from the Secretary of State, indicating that such Bidders, Bidder’s Insurance Company(is), and/or Surety Company(is)’s is (are) authorized to do business in the State of New Jersey. The Village of Ridgewood reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive any informalities or to accept a bid which, in its judgment best serves the interest of the Village. No bids may be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days after the date and time set for the opening of bids.
“BIDDERS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 17:27). A complete statement as to these requirements is included in the specifications.
April 12, 2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco today announced that the Department of Human Services Division on Disability Services will hold an Access for All Community Forum on Saturday, April 25 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber of Ridgewood Village Hall 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ.
This summit is for municipal Access for All Committees in the County of Bergen to come together and discuss local issues, challenges and new initiatives that other towns can emulate. Public officials, safety personnel & volunteers, as well as concerned residents, are invited to attend. Topics will include programs, resources for municipalities, grant opportunities, housing, emergency services, and problem solving.
Moderators include: Freeholder Chairwoman Dr. Joan M. Voss; Freeholders Tracy Silna Zur and Maura DeNicola; Jim Thebery, M.A., CSW, Director Div. on Disability Services; and Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn.
Please join us………..this will be a unique opportunity to hear from all the Access for All Committees to share ideas, learn from others and find out new and creative ways to interact and work together on projects. This is a wonderful event, not to be missed.
Ridgewood’s Graydon Pool adding handicapped accessible ramp
October 24, 2014 Last updated: Friday, October 24, 2014, 1:21 AM
The Record
Print
RIDGEWOOD — The village has accepted a $35,000 grant that will fund the construction of a handicapped accessible ramp at Graydon Pool.
Ridgewood officials said the Community Development Block Grant will pay for the entire project.
The plan is to use the money to build a ramp from Graydon Pool’s parking lot to the sidewalk along Linwood Avenue.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/grant-will-cover-cost-of-pool-ramp-1.1117240#sthash.Qw9JtNy1.dpuf
NJ Transit has made the commute from Ridgewood a nightmare
NJ Transit has made the commute from Ridgewood a nightmare. Express service pretty much cancelled — after a $40 million renovation just two years ago to build this big station, it is now no longer a key express stop per the schedule. Trains are so constantly overcroweded that there are fights (literally) over space to get on the trains. Emails, letters and calls go unanswered.
Now, we have large Advertisements for Empire Casino “decorating” the “RIDDGEWOOD” signs at this new station. I am all in favor of advertisements to reduce the financial strain on riders — but were these ad placements part of the drawings? I dont recall seeing them. Village officials never should have agreed to such a large expansion of the station and large advertisements for NY casinos without a committment from NJ Transit to maintain certain service levels. (BTW – why would a NJ based organization like NJ Transit agree to place large ads for a NY casino on its property when Atlantic City is suffering???) Hopefully this will serve as a warning to future Village leaders not to trust NJ Transit.
