Residents express concern
with Robertsville Road plan
By linda denicola
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — The Township Committee meeting room was full on Aug. 26, with residents who could not find seats electing to stand in the back of the room.
Many of those in attendance were members of a new organization called the Freehold Neighborhood Alliance that is trying to get municipal officials to do two things — reconsider its plan to widen Robertsville Road and install a traffic signal at the intersection of Robertsville and East Freehold roads.
Members of the organization are not only concerned with that particular road, they are concerned about development in the township and the loss of rural sites.
Forewarned that alliance members would be in attendance, the committee held a public hearing on just the alliance’s issues and spent about two hours letting the residents air their concerns.
One of those concerns is the proposed widening of Robertsville Road, between East Freehold Road and Route 79. Mayor Raymond Kershaw explained that at a prior meeting with residents of Robertsville Road, officials listened to the residents and made a concession that eliminated sidewalks from the plan that will affect at least 40 homeowners.
But, he said, Robertsville Road is going to be widened. The township will work with homeowners about their individual concerns and hopefully come to some agreement, he said.
Eve Varna, secretary of the Freehold Neighborhood Alliance, read a prepared statement that urged township officials to heed state mandates, such as the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law and the Jersey Scenic Byways Program, that support conservation and environmental preservation.
She pointed out certain phrases in the Monmouth County Growth Management Guide such as, "encouraging tree planting," "preserving historic areas" and "providing scenic corridors."
She cited Freehold Township’s own scenic road ordinance in which, she said, Robertsville Road is designated as a scenic road from the Marlboro border to 600 feet south of Topanemus Lake Road.
When the ordinance was introduced, Committeeman David Salkin said, "We are the first township to adopt what the county has, which is designed to protect the look along more rural roads and, in general, all of our roadways."
According to Varna, "The current township project plan for Robertsville Road involves road widening, a new county bridge, shoulders, curbs, 7-foot [wide] grass walkways and an additional right-of-way line that would drastically change its landscape. Specifically, as it is currently scoped, it would result in the destruction of hundreds of protected heritage and historic trees, wildlife habitats, aggressive property condemnation, change in road elevations, soil grading and include a barbed wire sewer pump station."
As spokesperson for the alliance, Varna asked the committee to consider "a less aggressive road widening project, with more limited land acquisition, that would honor the Scenic Roadway Corridor ordinance. It is our expectation that such an approach could satisfy the concerns of the Robertsville Road homeowners as well as overall Freehold Township community considerations."
A number of other residents addressed the committee with additional concerns. One resident wanted to know when the public would have an opportunity to comment on the project.
Kershaw said residents had an opportunity to do that at the last Planning Board meeting when the capital project review was held. The resident said he did not know about it.
"People should have an opportunity to see what the plans are because it is a large project," he said.
Committeeman Eugene Golub said the plans are in the township administrator’s office and that anyone can come in and see them.
Kershaw said there will be a presentation of the road widening project at the committee’s workshop meeting on Sept. 9 and residents can make comments then.
The way it stands now, the road will be widened at its narrow middle from 20 feet to 36 feet. There will also be a 7-foot wide grass strip on each side of the road.
Ed Broberg of T&M Associates, the township’s engineering firm, was at the meeting in anticipation of the residents’ attendance. He said there were a variety of public safety issues that led to the need for the road widening. Those issues include horizontal and vertical site distance problems and alignment problems.
"In my opinion, this area is developed and the road is more heavily used than a rural road," he said.
Another resident, who lives right off Robertsville Road, asked if a traffic light will be installed at the intersection of Robertsville and East Freehold roads.
Kershaw said officials have applied to the state four or five times for such a light.
"We have an application in right now," the mayor said.
Salkin interjected that numbers from the last traffic count indicate there should be a light at that location, "but, the state moves very slowly."
A number of residents said they believe the Robertsville Road widening project should be contingent on the installation of a traffic light and also said it should not begin until the bridge is replaced.
Kershaw said the bridge replacement and the road widening would be done at the same time.
"There is nothing you can do. The road is going to be widened. We will work with each homeowner about their individual problems," Kershaw said.
Township Administrator Tom Antus said that in situations in which property must be acquired the township’s attorneys are negotiating with the property owners for fair market value based on the square footage to be purchased.
Ann Marie Ferdinando, a Robertsville Road resident who lives on the part of the street that is to be widened and who stands to lose a number of trees and bushes, said she had recently discovered there is a scenic road ordinance in place in Freehold Township.
"It sounds as though you are willing to work with individual homeowners. We don’t want to lose our trees. We don’t want a concrete bridge. We want to keep it scenic. Please consider meeting with us and talking about it further," she said.