Resident Carol Sterling wrote to the township requesting for an expansion on the sidewalks on Colson Lane
By KRYSTAL NURSE
The Sun
Resident Carol Sterling sent an email to the township committee requesting sidewalks to be put in along the length of both sides of Colson Lane and the addition of crosswalks on the road and Route 45-North Main Street.
Public Works Supervisor and Deputy Township Administrator Dennis Chambers said sidewalks on Colson Lane are on the followings routes: High Meadows Drive toward Route 45 (ending “haphazardly” next to the old police station), Maple Leaf Drive to 150 Colson Lane, on the opposite side of 150 Colson Lane and traveling to the police station and up to 161 Colson Lane.
Chambers added the township could expand on the sidewalk from 150 Colson Lane up to Walters Road and add a crosswalk and an eight-foot wide bike path along Walters from a sewer conservation project.
For an addition of a crosswalk and additional sidewalks on Route 45-North Main Street, Chambers said the township would need to consult the state and, ideally, request for it to pay for it to not cause the township to pay a large sum of money. Township Engineer John Cantwell later said the state would require the township to put a flashing “pedestrian crossing” sign up, which he said costs around $15,000.
“The only grant is safe streets and you can only do that if the schools have a program to encourage walking and biking,” said Cantwell. “The whole idea of the grant is to encourage, for health reasons, for kids to walk or ride bikes. Schools would have to have programs to encourage walking. They have to have a program that has training, how to cross a street safely and all of that kind of stuff.”
Committeewoman Julie DeLaurentis said doing so could eliminate busing for neighborhoods around Pleasant Valley and Harrison Township elementary schools, but it wouldn’t create a walking district within Harrison Township.
Chambers later said, because of the complexity of Route 45-North Main Street, that portion of the sidewalk is on hold, but the sporadic beginnings and endings on Colson Lane could be remediated, but would take time.
Township Administrator Mark Gravinese said the state’s Raccoon Creek Bridge repair project is scheduled to being on March 30 and detours are in place for trucks and passenger vehicles.
He added cars will be allowed in at intermittent times, but trucks will need to seek alternate routes.
The detours are as follows for cars: driving from Harrison House Diner to Friends School, use Mill Road, then right onto Mullica Hill Road, right back on to Route 45. Other way applies for those heading north.
For trucks heading south, he said they would need to use Mill Road, left onto Mullica Hill Road, then right onto Clems Run. For trucks heading north, he suggests they travel to Mullica Hill Road, then left onto the bypass. An alternative for truck drivers is to completely avoid the intersection by using the Route 322 Bypass, Route 77 and Clem Run, which will alleviate traffic congestion on Mullica Hill and Mill roads.
Work should last until April 20. No pedestrians are allowed on the bridge for safety reasons.
In other news:
● Committeeman Jeff Jacques brought up a resident’s suggestion to drop the speed limits on Main Street from CVS to Marino’s Pizza from the 35 to 30 mph range to 25. Township Solicitor Brian Duffield and Cantwell said the township must follow state regulations with the zoning and are unable to lower the speed limit without significant safety concerns. Mayor Louis Manzo added he’ll inquire more about it with Police Chief Thomas Mills.
● A fireworks display was approved to occur on Friends School’s property on Harrison Township Day, with a rain day of May 5.
● Manzo said he overheard rumblings in town of people looking into petitioning to add a question to the 2019 Election Day ballot to rename Harrison Township to Mullica Hill Township. He later clarified Richwood, Ewan and Jefferson wouldn’t lose their identity if the idea comes to fruition.
● Daniel Liberta, Mike Tait, Pasquale Fiorentino, Dan Friedmann and Mike Viccharielli were approved to solicit for Sunny Corporation for residential solar panels March through Sept. 30 from noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
The next committee meeting is scheduled for March 18 starting at 7 p.m. at the Municipal Building Court Room (114 Bridgeton Pike).
