In response to the article titled "Residents Want Road Kept Closed for Good" (Suburban, Oct. 16), this letter is to address the issue of the opening of Prests Mill Road between the Oakwoode and Lakeridge West developments.
This issue was supposedly decided last year at a series of Township Council meetings at which it was ultimately decided to uphold the Planning Board’s decision to open the road to allow for better and more even traffic flow in our community. Currently, there is only one way out of our development, and with the approved expansion of the Route 9 park-and-ride on Inverness Drive, it will be almost impossible to leave the development in the morning rush hour.
I really don’t understand how or why a decision that was already made regarding the traffic flow is being addressed again. Nothing has changed to change any of the facts since the decision was made.
It was disturbing to have to hear through third parties that this issue will be coming up again. All I’m saying is that the residents of Oakwoode would appreciate being publicly informed so that we will have an opportunity to let our opinions be heard.
I understand firsthand the concern that all residents have when it comes to traffic on our streets. On the night of Oct. 10, our neighbors’ 17-year-old son was struck by a speeding van right outside my home and sent to the hospital.
No one seems to want the constant building that all have seen going on in our town, but unfortunately, that issue is out of our hands. We all know that with the building comes more traffic. The only thing that the people of Oakwoode are saying to the people of Lakeridge West is that we don’t feel we should have all the traffic coming down our streets.
Finally, I understand it was stated publicly before the council that the 200 or so voters from Lakeridge West would come into play if Prests Mill Road is opened. I would just like to remind the council that the Spring Knolls and Oakwoode voters have an even larger voice, so maybe the people of Lakeridge West should not try to make this a political issue to reverse the previous decision.
James H. Anderson
Old Bridge