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RINGWOOD - State pushes for more walking and biking in boro
(by Teresa Edmond - Staff Writer - July 23, 2008)
RINGWOOD - As a reflection of its efforts to curb pollution from vehicles, New Jersey tapped the borough to be part of a state Department of Transportation (DOT) program that will encourage more biking and walking instead of unnecessary driving.
According to a July press release from Borough Engineer Jeff Yuhas, Ringwood was selected to be part of the DOT’s bicycle and pedestrian assistance program. For this program, the state DOT hired the professional consulting firm RBA Group, of Morristown, to investigate and complete a plan this summer and fall, which would grant residents more opportunities for cycling and walking.
“The goals are first to promote biking and walking,” Yuhas said. “The biking aspect is looking at recreation biking, more for exercise and cyclists and … tourists … with pedestrians. They (the state and the borough) would like to connect neighborhoods to try allowing residents to walk from neighborhood to neighborhood without having to … drive.”
And there’s more good news for residents regarding the borough’s fledgling Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan: Taxpayers don’t have to invest a penny because the DOT is paying RBA Group for the project, according to Yuhas.
Ringwood secured its place in the DOT program because the borough was able to convince the state of its determination to endorse biking and walking, according to Tim Greeley, a DOT spokesman. Greeley also said that the municipality proposed to investigate and improve main pedestrian and bicycle safety issues – crucial in a borough that lacks sidewalks.
“Ringwood’s proposal includes elements of safe walking routes to schools,” Greeley said. “(The proposal) was comprehensive in scope, (and) points toward community-wide improvements to non-motorized transportation. (It) was directed toward the completion of missing infrastructure links in their sidewalk systems.”
Last winter, the borough met with the RBA Group and the DOT about the community’s bicycle and pedestrian program. A steering committee has been set up to help the DOT and the RBA Group better execute the plan and get more acquainted with the borough. This steering committee is comprised of county officials and the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, a federation devoted to constructing and maintaining hiking trails in the bi-state region.
“There’s a wide group of people that have input,” Yuhas said.
The municipality is also giving the public an opportunity to weigh in on Ringwood’ s Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. According to Yuhas, the borough is scheduling a public participation meeting for next month.
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