Plainfield's lack of a 'plan ahead' mindset is on display this week with the repaving of Watchung Avenue from the North Plainfield line to 5th Street.
The work caps the project which has included installing Belgian block curbing, ADA-compliant corner cuts and (partial) new sidewalks.
Some merchants were surprised and a little miffed that the repaving commenced without any warning, displacing on-street parking while traffic was shifted to new patterns for the duration.
In addition, traffic snarls ensued as southbound traffic on Watchung was shunted west on North Avenue forcing folks onto Second Street and creating gridlock in the entire area.
The plan, which was developed years ago in conjunction with the UEZ-funded streetscape improvements on Front Street, was dusted off to take advantage of federal stimulus funding. Unlike the Front Street segment, though, the city made no effort to circulate flyers to affected merchants alerting them to upcoming phases of the work.
Roadwork, necessary as it is, is alway disruptive to someone, and sometimes all that is needed is to show a little common courtesy (such as flyers, or signs on light poles as with last summer's E'town water work).
The 'common courtesy' part is where Plainfield seems to fail to 'PLAN AHEAD'.
Everyone will be pleased when the work is done, some probably a little more than others.
But will the City learn from this project to do better when -- and if -- it gets to the Park Avenue phase which was also planned for way back when?
-- Dan Damon
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1 comments:
As surprising and expensive as the street curbing was, why not waste federal money, it was done without much forethought. That seems to be a hallmark of this city administration.
I wrote the mayor and Councilman Matt, when the mayor didn't respond, about the fact that with the new curbing the sidewalks were no longer handicapped accessible and the drive to 606 Crescent Avenue was four inches about the road now and dangerous to enter and leave.
I can't believe someone didn't think of this and the tenants in my building are left with avoiding that parking lot entrance and using the 7th Street one or going very carefully, so as not to damage their vehicles.
I would think that if the mayor is not willing to think things through, she should have people around her who do. That doesn't seem to be the case and is probably a case for electing a new mayor.
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