Letter to the Editor From Short Hills Association
Eleanor Wallen writes to the Patch as president of the Short Hills Association.
Date: July 16, 2012
The Short Hills Association supports the Millburn-Short Hills group Residents for Traffic Safety (www.residentsfortrafficsafety.org) in their efforts to limit the truck and vehicle traffic on Millburn Avenue that will result from the proposed Stop and Shop supermarket on the former Saks Fifth Avenue property.
Stop and Shop received Springfield Township approval to build a highway-sized supermarket with only four loading docks (Kings on Morris Avenue has six). Springfield has forbidden truck access to the property from the existing Morris Avenue driveway as a noise abatement policy for the neighbors. Therefore, the eastern Millburn Avenue entrance is the only access and egress for trucks using the loading dock. If loading dock space is not available trucks will be required to circle or wait. Trucks turning onto Millburn Avenue from Morris Avenue will cause traffic to back up owing to the narrow turn space, especially from westbound Morris Avenue. Student safety and vehicle access at the St. Rose and Millburn High schools will be critical concerns when traffic clogs Millburn and Short Hills Avenues.
The Millburn Zoning Board on August 6th will continue to hear the Stop and Shop request for a variance to establish a left-turn lane for westbound customers at the future traffic light to be installed at the Baltusrol Way corner.
The Short Hills Association proposes that Millburn and Springfield Township officials meet with Stop and Shop representatives to discuss traffic solutions so that Millburn does not bear this traffic burden while Springfield collects the property taxes from the proposed Stop and Shop. For instance, truck traffic could enter from the Morris Avenue or Millburn Avenue driveways and be restricted according to truck size and hour of day or night.
We urge residents to attend the Millburn Township Zoning Board hearing August 6th at Town Hall, at 7 pm. The public may speak about traffic issues since the Stop and Shop Traffic Engineer will be presenting his case.
Eleanor Wallen,
President, Short Hills Association Ellie@07078.org 973-379-7131
Govind Singh
10:34 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
The Short Hills Association is a somewhat snotty social climbing group of lower class type individuals who should not be writing letters to any editor
Joanne Smythe
12:30 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
They are snotty? Pot calling the kettle black.
Also, there is no caste system in America, there is no "lower class type" here, only Americans, who are free to write to whomever they choose, expressing any ideas they wish.
Wesley
3:00 pm on Sunday, July 22, 2012
What volunteering do you do in the town, Govind?
Calty24
10:09 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
I think the Short Hills Association has all residents of Millburn in mind as we are all impacted by the increased car and truck traffic.
James
8:26 am on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
I think the Short Hills Association only has themselves in mind and could care less about anybody else. Forget about the greater economic good of the area. They made their money in banking, stealing using mortgage and stock schemes that brought the country to its knees a few years ago.
Anonymous89
10:04 pm on Wednesday, October 3, 2012
For a community that is considered to be populated by well-educated professionals, it was surprising to read posts full of ad hominem comments. Perhaps our communities would be better served by the offering of proposed solutions to the perceived problems and inconveniences. The area in which the Stop & Shop will be located is already a business district and is the former site of both a grocery and department store. As mentioned elsewhere, perhaps officials of both communities should work together with the Stop & Shop development group to identify specific truck routes that will limit the tractor trailer traffic to the main thoroughfares during off peak hours that will not impact the neighboring residents' sleep.