file photo by Boyd Loving
Dear Ms. Foran,
I’m writing today on behalf of the Ridgewood Village Council regarding modifications to the Glenwood Road traffic patterns as described in the Memorandum of Record DOT Docket No. 06-2017CM Warren Ave (Brookside Avenue) dated May 31, 2017. It is the Village Council’s position that closing the roadway in its entirety, or limiting to one-way traffic, would have a severe and deleterious impact on the immediate surrounding residential community and the nearby Ho-Ho-Kus business district.
Restricting Glenwood traffic flow would force other, already stressed, Ridgewood roadways to absorb displaced traffic to the detriment of Village residents and visitors. It’s important to understand Ridgewood is a walking community and how additional traffic on congested streets might compromise the safety of pedestrians, especially children walking to and from Village schools. Additionally, Glenwood area commuters may choose to abandon the Ho-Ho-Kus train station and instead opt to utilize the Ridgewood train station, an area now choked with excessive traffic. A recent traffic study of the Ridgewood train trestle underpass indicated more than 18,000 vehicles traversing the two-lane roadway daily. The roadway has far surpassed maximum vehicular capacity and, even with limited sidewalks, children walk daily to and from three area schools. Closure, even partially, would land lock the entire section of Ridgewood residences and force extended travel onto the only other east-west roadway, West Glen Avenue, which is already strained. Undue hardships will be placed on Ridgewood residents with school aged children living east of the Glenwood Road “S” hill as they will be forced into a longer, more circuitous, drive to school. Insurmountable economic hardships will be shouldered by small mom & pop stores operating in the Ho-Ho-Kus business district; data suggests more than 30% of shop patrons live above the Glenwood Road “S” hill. Any change to the traffic pattern will have an adverse impact on area small businesses.
The Village does acknowledge current site conditions present safety concerns resulting from substandard signage, roadway markings and enforcement. Before altering the current traffic flow, the Village proposes a less impactful and less costly approach by implementing the following safety measures:
o Enhanced signage placed prominently and before oversized vehicles enter the roadway
o Increasing fines and enforcement for oversized vehicles in violation
o Painting double yellow lines on the Glenwood Road “S” hill defining lanes and for traffic calming
o No U-turn signs and No Stopping or Turning on RR Tracks
o Increased fines and enforcement for reckless driving within a designated proximity to railroad tracks
o Erecting height restriction barriers o Observations suggest the existing barriers, used for when a train is arriving, be extended the full width across the roadway
Ridgewood is open to any additional suggestions your team may have to help maintain the current traffic pattern while ensuring the area remains safe for everyone. Perhaps a trial period of suggested modifications that could be monitored and increased later if necessary without implementing the drastic changes proposed. This approach will allow stakeholders to determine the effectiveness of these measures and will provide additional information about how to proceed.
In closing, I sincerely appreciate your thoughtful attention to the many comments from Ridgewood residents pertaining to this matter.
Thanking you in advance for your consideration of the Village’s concerns and our proposal.
Best regards,
Mayor Susan Knudsen
