photos courtesy of Suzanne Ruane
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, resident Suzanne Ruane explains the issues with the Kingsbridge Footbridge . as a reminder if the Village eliminated the Engineering department ($550,000 a year ) , companies like Boswell Engineering would do the job for $200,000 a year and get things done much faster with the county .
Suzanne Ruane explains in a Facebook post:
“While the footbridge off East Saddle River Road (aka the Kingsbridge Footbridge) has been closed, I have seen the Ridgewood High School girls track team run on Rt. 17 southbound margins in between exit ramps because they can’t use the footbridge to safely complete their jogging route.
At the last Village Council meeting’s public comments, a resident mentioned that the Ridgewood boys track team jumps over the barricades of the footbridge to complete their jogging route (rather than jog on Rt. 17).
So on Friday, Ridgewood maintenance department is adding extra barricades onto the footbridge. (Below are the workers installing the extra barricades.)
I am utterly stumped that Ridgewood Village Council consideres holes on a footbridge far more dangerous for the track teams than running beside cars going 55+ mph on a major highway.
The new Village Council is again considering replacing the footbridge with a wheelchair accessible bridge that will cost taxpayers between $500K to $1M, even though there are NO SIDEWALKS on East Saddle River Road.
The footbridge is structurally stable and able to be repaired. The price of the repair keeps increasing since the Village Engineer has been fixated on only replacing the footbridge. Ridgewood taxpayers spent over $32K for outside engineers to design plans for repairing the footbridge (which realistically should have been done by the Village Engineer!).
Last week, I filed an official complaint at Rep. Josh Gottheimer’s office and they are beginning to investigate Ridgewood’s failure to repair the footbridge.
The footbridge closure impacts the Ridgewood track teams as well as residents in the community. I highly suggest contacting Rep. Gottheimer’s office to voice your concerns. His email is Josh.Gottheimer@mail.house.gov. His Fair Lawn office is investigating the failure to fix the footbridge and the number is (201) 389-1100.”
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get rid of the “Engineering department” they are worthless
the Village engineer screws up everting he touches
Boswell $200,00 a year.
Where, on fantasy island?
most likely cheaper worst case at lest something would be done right , unlike now
This is next pet project of Vaginos and Parron. After removing heather, they now want to dismantle the Engineering department so they can award contracts to their buddies.
Village engineer is a total F-Up
It’s about time you people are seeing the light, have you seen mustache boy lately , talk about stressed out. Burnt out .
Well we guess n j news will be coming to cover the story.
False dichotomy
They can run elsewhere.
Well it isn’t just about the track team, that is only a tiny example of people who had been using the footbridge to gain access back and forth to other areas of Ridgewood. Don’t believe it is a “dichotomy” which according to the dictionary is “a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different”. Broken things should be fixed. But it is more important to put a sports field where it doesn’t belong.
False dichotomy : a logical fallacy in which a spectrum of possible options is misrepresented as an either-or choice between two mutually exclusive things
In the end it is about the neighborhood being upset about the field. These other outrages are a distraction.
Also kind of strange that the Village Engineer is also the Director of Public Works and has spent many hours (a good deal of overtime) to updating plans for the large field proposed at Schedler. This is the priority when sidewalks and the footbridge need to be fixed? Just shows you where the money trail leads…
Again. The anti-field whiners looking for other “more important “ things for the Council to focus on.
” a resident mentioned that the Ridgewood boys track team jumps over the barricades of the footbridge to complete their jogging route (rather than jog on Rt. 17).
So on Friday, Ridgewood maintenance department is adding extra barricades onto the footbridge. (Below are the workers installing the extra barricades.)
I am utterly stumped that Ridgewood Village Council consideres holes on a footbridge far more dangerous for the track teams than running beside cars going 55+ mph on a major highway.””
Time to ask the BOE and the track managers why and who have the students run a route around town and neighborhoods when the schools already have track fields for that purpose?
Why are the track teams running beside cars going 55 mph on a major highway?? Why are they running along routes in Ridgewood, main roads, without caution barricades?
I have seen track students running down Prospect from S.Maple to Grove, sidewalks, But on Grove St. they don’t stay on sidewalks, instead they run 2 or 3 abreast into the roadway.
Have also seen the students from Paramus Catholic H. also running route Prospect to Grove st. to ParamusRd. When not on sidewalks, they also run 3 abreast into the road.
What is the matter with the schools track managers? when schools have a dedicated track field on school grounds.
Girls track team runs on Lincoln Avenue…may as well be a highway
Well, that’s the problem too, we have directors doing multiple jobs. Years ago it wasn’t like .that’s why everyone is spread too thin. This is what happens when you don’t replace employees and you take that money from the budget and give it to the police and fire oh, and overtime Budget has exploded just ridiculous . And now there’s no money in the budget to hire employees. Every department is shorthanded. Village buildings are falling apart, and no money to repair or replace them. No money for emergencies, when they need money, they keep on borrowing it bond there’s a bond that, the village is bankrupt, which they say so now what
“At the last Village Council meeting’s public comments, a resident mentioned that the Ridgewood boys track team jumps over the barricades of the footbridge to complete their jogging route (rather than jog on Rt. 17).””
Why are the track teams running beside cars going 55 mph on a major highway?? Why are they running along routes in Ridgewood, main roads, without caution barricades?
I have seen track students running down Prospect from S.Maple to Grove, sidewalks, But on Grove St. they don’t stay on sidewalks, instead they run 2 or 3 abreast into the roadway.
Have also seen the students from Paramus Catholic H. also running route Prospect to Grove st. to ParamusRd. When not on sidewalks, they also run 3 abreast into the road.
What is the matter with the schools track managers? when schools have a dedicated track field on school grounds.
We herd one of the top officials talking at the meeting, and they said how many people use that bridge on a daily basis. Someone else noted not many, so why don’t we just remove it and save $1 million. Oh boy oh boy..
I have been a runner for almost 5 decades and I’ve coached HS as well. Believe me when I say that safety is always a concern for the running community.
Then don’t run in the road. Run on the track. What’s wrong with the county run many people use that for walking running bicycling that’s what it’s therefore use it.
8 mile run on the track…? Don’t be a clown.
Nothing wrong with sidewalks. Just be careful out there.
There’s a local school around here that makes kids wear reflective vests when they go out on the streets.
Its a big Liability issue.
School activities should be conducted on school grounds.
H.S. students are underage. The schools are responsible for them while in their care.
Who’s at fault, if a car jumps the curb, hits a pole, tree, house, garage or person? Lots of that has been increasing.
The bridge has been out of use for TWO Years. Let’s focus on repairing a bridge that allows the residents , including my family, to safely walk, run, bike, etc., to East Saddle River Road, to get to town, bike to school, along with many other activities. I have been told by the Mayor “that it is not in this year’s budget to repair, but hopefully next year. “ This is absurd. And very disappointing. We have 6-foot high plywood blocking the entrances. How many years will this continue? The footbridge repair needs to be addressed.