MONTVALE—Residents are in gear with Mayor Michael Ghassali’s question, stemming from the Dec. 4 year-end town hall meeting, “Aside from building an over-bridge or under-track tunnel, or combining it with the Park Ridge station, any ideas on how to reduce the traffic backup?”
Ghassali posed the question on his government official Facebook page, noting traffic flow is a main concern in town, where new and expanded businesses, and an influx of retail opportunities and more, are driving more outings.
At the town hall session—“Building a Stronger Future: A town hall meeting to listen to you and share our business strategies and goals for our Montvale”—the mayor and council hosted an informal discussion.
On Dec. 5 Ghassali posted, “Facts: NJ TRANSIT trains stop 33 times every weekday at the Montvale train station. Each stop averages four minutes, that is 132 minutes; Grand Ave. and Kinderkamack Road shut down for 2 hours and 20 minutes every weekday between 5:20 a.m. and 1:20 a.m. (20-hour period).”
He said, “With an average of 10,000 cars crossing the train track every weekday and the only thoroughfare from the east of town to the schools and the parkway, chances are you make at least one of the 33 train stops in your travel and see the traffic back up.”
His invitation for comment sparked resident replies in the dozens (79 replies in less than a day, at press time). A sampling:
- Sean Prunty: “I’ve had the gate come down and the train not arrive for a full two minutes… that’s overkill…”
- Lynne Berry: Call me crazy but while all suggestions are being mulled over, perhaps in the meantime, rather than use that time waiting in an anxious hurry over something you have no control over, perhaps that four minutes or so can be spent in quiet contemplation and gratitude. Take a few deep breaths, exhale slowly and use the time as an opportunity to have a few minutes in an otherwise crazy day. Just a thought.”
- Joan Dolder Gifas (in reply to Ms. Berry): Rarely is it four minutes. Coming down Kinderkamack it can be up to 20 minutes. It’s faster to go to ShopRite in Pearl River than to Lidl. That’s crazy. I don’t patronize our small businesses because I can’t get there. Four minutes I can handle. But to allow 25 minutes to get to Lidl when it is a five-minute drive is nuts.”
- Susan Patterson: “Wouldn’t this be the perfect time to talk about school bussing? Much of the traffic comes from parents driving their kids to school. I think it’s time to really think about this.”
- Brian Librino (in reply to Ms. Patterson): “Absolutely a good idea!”
- Kristen Dillon Hernandez (in reply to Ms. Patterson): “100% agree!”
- Kathy Soderman: “My 2 cents: Part of what makes Montvale attractive is the fact we have mass transit in town so we shouldn’t change that. Living here and working in Montvale since 2000, I don’t find the train tracks an inconvenience. Sometimes I catch the train, sometimes I don’t. Where are we all in a rush to that those 4 minutes matter?”
- Barbara Reineke: “Widen the roadway by that abandoned office building by tracks.”
- Vanessa Olivia: “Get rid of the Montvale station and combine with Park Ridge or Pearl River. So close together. Otherwise spend the money to change where the train ‘parks’ (blocks too many intersections at once). Also, what about changing GSP Exit 171 to allow for right-hand turns off the parkway? The politician who put that in is long gone.”
- Michelle Jojic (in reply to Ms. Olivia): “I agree opening that right turn from 171 has the potential to help cut down our thru traffic.”
- Ryan Brenizer (in reply to Ms. Olivia): “Great idea. There aren’t many easy solutions to a problem like this, but changing that GSP exit is one of them.”
- Heather Kaplin (in reply to Ms. Olivia): “Woodcliff Lake won’t allow it because they don’t want the traffic on Glen Road? Sadly, this isn’t an option Montvale has control over.”
Your turn! See our Letters policy on Page 2 and sound off!