U. Freehold: County should hold off on plan for bypass

U. Freehold: County should
hold off on plan for bypass
Officials say need for
westerly bypass should be
assessed after eastern
portion completed
By jane meggitt
Staff Writer

UPPER FREEHOLD — A township resident who is a professional engineer presented the Township Committee with his review of the 1992 westerly bypass study, with suggestions to be given to Monmouth County officials.

At last week’s committee meeting, Stephen Fleischacker, Matthew Court, which is not in the immediate vicinity of the proposed bypass, called the road "an emotionally charged issue."

He said he supports efforts to alleviate traffic congestion in Allentown.

The bypasses, which will connect routes 526 and 539, will allow traffic to skirt Main Street and downtown Allen-town.

At an informational meeting held earlier this year at Allentown High School, a large crowd of local residents turned out to ask questions and comment on the bypass plan. Most Upper Freehold residents who spoke expressed strong opposition to the westerly bypass while many Allentown residents were squarely behind the plan.

According to Fleischacker, "What’s being proposed today is not the same as in ’92."

He said the original report recommended that the easterly bypass, currently under construction, be completed and the westerly bypass be constructed in entirety.

He said the 1992 data revealed an uncertainty as to the degree of traffic mitigation if the southern segment of the westerly bypass was constructed and not the northern segment.

The lack of an eastbound entrance to I-195 at the northern terminus of the westerly bypass also raised concerns, he said.

His recommendations included expe-diting construction of the easterly bypass and developing a schedule and a committee that would monitor post-construction traffic mitigation.

"Success probability" of the westerly bypass should be defined using predetermined traffic mitigation goals, Fleischac-ker said.

He believes the I-195/Sharon Station Road entrance should be "aggressively pursued" to relieve regional traffic prob­lems.

Upper Freehold Mayor William Mis-coski told Fleischacker he appreciated the way the original 141-page report was summarized, and said he would further study the docu­mentation.

Committeeman David Horsnall said, "There should be no misunderstanding, from day one I have objected to the west­erly bypass. The primary reason is that it will move traffic congestion from one sec­tion of the region to another. I’m most impressed by the calmness and objectivity of the comments [Fleischacker] made."

Horsnall added that the area of the pro­posed bypass was probably "the highest population center in the community in terms of people and traffic in one location. The letter acknowledges that Allentown has significant problems; we all know that. We’re fortunate that there has not been more substantial damage to property and pedestrians, but it’s not a reason to intro­duce [congestion] to another section."

He told Fleischacker the committee members would have to read the material carefully before signing their names to it, but it was important for the township to have input as to where the road was put.

"I do not think a shovel should be put in the ground on the westerly bypass until an analysis has been done on the easterly by­pass," he said.

Miscoski agreed, and said that when the meetings on the bypasses were held in 1992, county officials said the easterly bypass would be completed and then an analysis would be done to see if the westerly bypass was necessary.

"I think, when the easterly bypass gets done, the westerly bypass won’t do a lot," said Miscoski.

He noted that there was little room be­tween the proposed westerly bypass and the Upper Freehold Regional School District campus, as well as ballfields at Byron Johnson park on Ellisdale Road.

"I think if we are going to use the east­erly bypass," said Committeeman Charles Faber, "we should ask the county to take [over] Sharon Station Road from at least [Route] 526 to [Route] 539. They’re re-building 75 percent of it. They should consider taking the whole thing. They can control the bypass, not us."