By Peter Sclafani, Staff Writer
UPPER FREEHOLD The Township Committee assured residents last week that it would continue to fight the proposed westerly bypass, but stopped short of formally passing an official resolution asking the county to nix the project, saying such a move might be counterproductive.
”I think we should stick to diplomacy, which has worked well for us before,” Deputy Mayor Steve Alexander said at the Aug. 16 meeting. “The county has been very good to us, and I do not think a resolution would be the right approach.”
Residents of Upper Freehold have voiced concerns about the status of the project at the past three Township Committee meetings. The controversial proposal, which would route traffic away from downtown Allentown, is opposed in Upper Freehold where most of the road would be built.
The westerly bypass, first proposed in 1992 and still shown on the county’s road plan, has been back on Upper Freehold’s radar since Allentown residents upset about traffic congestion in the borough grilled county officials about the status of the bypass at a June Allentown Borough Council meeting.
The proposed westerly bypass would link Route 539/High Street (east of Allentown High School) to Route 524/Yardville-Allentown Road. Allentown residents and officials say the project is needed to route heavy truck traffic away from the borough’s narrow county roads that date to the days of stagecoaches.
Joe Ettore, the county’s engineer, told Allentown residents at the council meeting that just because a project is included in a draft road plan doesn’t mean the funding is available for it. He said the county already has taken steps to improve traffic congestion by constructing the easterly bypass near Reed Park and said the county will wait until 2016 to re-evaluate whether the westerly bypass still is needed once improvements to Sharon Station Road are completed.
Leonard Davner, of the Four Seasons retirement community in Upper Freehold, attended the Allentown Borough Council meeting when the bypass was discussed in June. Since then, he and other residents have brought their concerns to their own elected officials in Upper Freehold.
Last week, when the issue resurfaced again at a Township Committee meeting, officials sought to put an end to speculation and confusion regarding the westerly bypass.
Committeeman Robert Frascella proposed passing a resolution that would ask the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders to officially remove the project from the books, but reaction to his suggestion was mixed.
Township Committeeman Stanley Moslowski Jr. agreed with Mr. Alexander’s observation about diplomacy being the best option and pointed out all the county grants the township has received of late. Sending the county an anti-bypass resolution could be interpreted as making demands that force the county into a difficult position, he said.
Mayor LoriSue Mount also voiced her opposition to the bypass and expressed frustration there still is public concern over the status of a project she was 99.9 percent sure would not be built.
”It could happen, but it most likely won’t,” Mayor Mount said.
IN OTHER NEWS, the Township Committee adopted an ordinance Aug. 16 establishing a lower salary range for a firefighter/driver in the Hope Fire Co. The pay is now $13 to $20 per hour instead of $15 to $20 an hour.
The Township Committee also said it wanted staff to obtain estimates from outside companies for the maintenance of township recreation facilities. Township Business Administrator Dianne Kelly said Monday there are two full-time employees in charge of parks maintenance, but one is about to retire.

