TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—After repeated citizen requests for a traffic study at the soon-to-be-acquired $1.35 million 95 Linwood Ave. site, the town’s business administrator told residents May 16 that no study can be done until the council makes a decision on what facility will be built there.
However, he later told the council president that traffic studies could be done in advance of a decision being made on the site’s use.
Despite this change of course, the council made no decision to authorize any traffic studies.
For months, the council has listened to residents and nearby Paramus homeowners criticize anticipated impacts of DPW vehicles and others traversing the heavily congested Linwood Avenue and surrounding streets.
On May 16, Council President Desserie Morgan asked administrator Robert Tovo if a traffic study could be done “preemptively” or in advance so that council could have traffic information to help them make their decision about what “best use” to put at 95 Linwood Ave.
Tovo said council could “come up with a new option or abandon the project” if a traffic study shows that a proposed use would not work on site. However, Tovo also said the council could pay for traffic studies on each of the two options before council now.
“You could do that,” he told Morgan. However, earlier in the meeting, Tovo also told Morgan that traffic studies could only be done once the council decides what use would be there.
Tovo said that a traffic study “would start at $2,500” to undertake.
“It’s all good information that we have. I’m sure it’s not going to be the last time we’re asked that,” said Morgan.
Feeney asked what architect “prerequisites” were needed for a traffic study, such as site schematics. Tovo said “entry and exit points” would be the only requirements. No further action was taken by council members on possible traffic studies.
Three Paramus council members attended the May 3 special meeting on 95 Linwood Ave. and asked the council to consider all related negative impacts on their residents, including additional traffic congestion in an already heavily travelled area.
However, while it appeared that council members wanted a traffic study done at certain points, no council vote or action occurred on the matter.
Following one resident pressing for answers May 16 on what studies and surveys were undertaken since the initial proposal for a DPW at 95 Linwood Ave., Township Attorney Ken Poller and Tovo explained their roles.
Poller said he did not do traffic studies but only focused on the property’s acquisition.
However, Tovo noted that traffic studies were not yet completed for either proposed use.
“Without knowing the type of use for, we can’t do a survey because we don’t know the impact of those vehicles will be. Once we decide what the use will be, then a survey can and will be done,” said Tovo.
After initially saying they hoped to place a new public works department there — and facing strong public resistance — the mayor and borough architect then developed an alternate plan to propose putting a new police station headquarters on the site.
So far, no official council vote has been taken on what to place at 95 Linwood Ave., with most members saying they are undecided and waiting for more information on total project costs, impacts on taxpayers, and more specifics from the borough architect.
Residents attending the May 16 meeting called on council to hold another special meeting before the property’s official purchase closing date of June 14, so that they too could hear about costs, bonding impacts on property taxes, and ask questions related to community quality of life, such as traffic concerns.
As for a special meeting before June 14, Calamari said he hoped to get in two cost estimates for a DPW facility and for a police facility at the site by May 21.
It appeared council members supported holding a special meeting if enough time was possible for it to be publicly advertised as required under law.
The next regular council meeting is June 8, less than a week before the council’s purchase closing date on 95 Linwood Ave.