JAMESBURG — Borough Attorney Fred Raffetto is sending a letter to the state Department of Transportation protesting the closure of Possum Hollow Road by Monroe Township.
The Borough Council passed a resolution in 1999 not to close the road, but that resolution has been superseded by the Department of Transportation.
Mayor Anthony Lamantia said that he did not know why the Jamesburg council was not consulted before the state department’s decision. Council members fear the closure will divert more traffic into Jamesburg.
At its regular council meeting last Wednesday, the council directed Raffetto to write the letter of protest to the DOT.
Although the road was closed by Monroe officials about a year ago, formal approval for the closure came from the DOT last spring.
On May 17, W. Dennis Keck of the Department of Transportation wrote a letter to the president of the Forsgate Community Association in Monroe approving the closure.
"Possum Hollow Road is a municipal roadway and the township of Monroe could close the roadway as long as they feel the closure will not create a constraint on traffic flow and emergency services within the township," Keck’s letter said. "The temporary closure of the railroad underpass, due to the sewer construction on Possum Hollow Road, should have been a good indication of the effects the permanent closure will have on the surrounding area. The township of Monroe has the department’s approval to pursue the permanent closure of the Possum Hollow Road railroad underpass."
Possum Hollow Road runs from Forsgate Drive in Monroe to Dock’s Corner Road in Jamesburg.
In between these two roads on Possum Hollow Road is the site where the new Costco is under construction. A new access road will be built to provide access to the retail area.
According to Monroe Township Engineer Ernest Feist, the road has only been closed for a year, but it has always been the township’s intention to close the road permanently.
"The closure of this road will eliminate the unsafe driving conditions in the underpass where the rail line crosses Possum Hollow Road, as well as preventing traffic from the Costco development from cutting through Jamesburg on Dock’s Corner Road," said Feist.

