August 25,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Bike lanes are still major concern for safety at the Ridgewood rail underpass. Most observers failed to see the logic from the beginning of of the construction for changing from two lanes to one and adding extremely dangerous bike lanes under the trestle .
Like the ADA elevators to nowhere that proceeded it resident were quite skeptical at its introduction . Contrary to the elevators ,which seem good for a laugh , the bike lane presents a clear danger to bikers . Not to mention the slow down to emergency services through town .
Recent developments like the continued effort to fill the “east side” with sports fields have refocused a light on what may have been the real purpose of the so called ‘ “traffic calming”. Resident now speculate that it is another attempt to inhibit traffic into the west side of town making it more difficult for new residents living in the new high density housing to enter the west side . There also seems to be a movement growing to bus any new children to Hawes school and not to the select schools in the west side like Orchard and Willard .
Residents again speculate that the bike lane is being used as an excuse to further divide the town like Englewood , giving certain types of politicians a voting block to ensure their perpetual election.
The divide is some people think that they are better than others. It cuts both ways.
Get over yourself, life is not a pissing contest.
The bike lane is one big joke that serves no purpose except to put people at risk. Who ever sold this monstrosity to the village and those that approved it need there heads examined.
I don’t know if I see a “divide,” but I do see a danger to bikers, emergency vehicles and anyone in them, as well as a danger to everyone trying to figure out when the guy in front of you is going to switch lanes.
Someone, I won’t mention names, spoke at Ridgewood council meeting asking for “complete streets” to be built under railway trestle in Ridgewood, The man said he and/or his wife parked bike at train station every morning and there was no safe bike lane. He said NYC had lots of complete street bike lanes and that Ridgewood should do likewise. He said that nay sayers were just afraid of anything new. And there was no danger as we would see after lanes were constructed.
Apparently there was a grant used to construct the lanes. all or partial cost paid for by grant from county or state.
According to what I saw, no one contradicted him at council meetings when he spoke. I wonder if he or wife rides bike under railway every morning. At three in the morning I would do it.
I bike 100 miles per week and I never go near Wilsey Square…..too dangerous.
On one hand, it is a serious accident waiting to happen. On the other hand, I don’t think anyone actually uses it, so maybe the accident will never happen.
Council should admit they made a mistake. Acknowledging your mistakes is a sign of greatness.
Who oversaw this project? Chief Engineer Christopher Rutishauser, who should be led quietly to pasture asap and will do anything to please Da Maya. When Aronsohn and Pucciarelli were “reelected” mayor and deputy mayor by dint of bringing in a clearly unhappy Hauck electronically from her family African safari, it was Rutishauser who led the applause–so loudly that I turned around to see who it was.
He is some SUCKUP 11:41 and our BREATH OF FRESH AIR manage loves him.
I thought Hawes was designed for that purpose, specifically to serve as overflow for Travell and Sommerville in addition to handling the Lawns and that little part of Ridgewood that’s on the east side of 17?
I have 2 houses on the west side..Willard and ridge
Been here since 1969.
If my grand kids want to attend eithe school they shall.
Try and bus them and I promise I will fill both houses, with section 8 renters
That’s 10 bedrooms, 20 kids
I’ll show you limousine liberals what diversity is.
What is all this talk about a “Bike Lane” ??
Are you talking about the green Express Right Turn Lane ??
Nice 7:26! You wonder why people make fun of West Siders. I suppose it’s also an inconvenience when both of your Porches are in the shop.
Why not just stand up to the absurdity of tripling the number of allowable units per acre in town? Help stop the madness and you may not have to rent both of your West Side houses out.
I don’t think there’s anything nefarious about the bike lane….it’s just a stupid idea.
I walk my bike through the tunnel rather than ride the Green Line.
That “bike lane” is just absurd – after the winter with snow and salt and plows, it will probably look like the road did before…..thank heavens – What a waste
9:36 unlike most of the phonies here, I make the effort to purchase American autos.
“Why not just stand up to the absurdity of tripling the number of allowable units per acre in town? ” I am not the poster you were referring to but will be there. Speech is ready. There are 4 back to school nights that night so it is imperative that we all get the word out and make sure our friends and neighbors attend.