Letter to the Editor: Traffic Points to Ponder Regarding BAC

To the Editor:

As an “out-of-towner” I thought that I would write to provide you (Berkeley Heights Residents) with potential information regarding the traffic concerns that have been raised with the new BAC facility to be located directly off exit 40 of Route 78. These concerns should have been alleviated by the traffic study but apparently this may not be the case.

I have lived in a neighboring community for over the past 20-plus years and have done much travel within a 15-mile radius of the proposed location. As an “out-of-towner” that would be one of the many traveling to the facility, I think our travel methods would be a better perspective than current Berkeley Heights
residents as we are the ones coming from these locations.

First, I think that most people can agree that anyone traveling from the south or west would either access the facility from exit 40 of route 78 or via Mountain Avenue in Gillette to Hillcrest Road. It would not make sense to travel further east to eventually come back west.

Therefore, we are left with those that travel from neighboring towns to the east and north. As someone who has needed to travel from locations like New Vernon, Morristown, Madison and Chatham, the longer portion of the trip is making you way from there into Berkeley Heights. Based on my experience
and observation, this would primarily be done by traveling through the Great Swamp to Gillette and then taking Mountain Avenue in Gillette to Hillcrest Road. Another alternative would be to go to the northeast of the Great Swamp via Southern Boulevard through New Providence to exit 43 of route 78 and complete the trip at exit 40. For those that would not want to make the quicker trip via route 78, they would use River Road to Springfield Avenue to Park Avenue to Mountain Avenue to Hillcrest Road.

As for those that would come from New Providence and Summit, the most common route would be Springfield Avenue to Park Avenue to Mountain Avenue to Hillcrest Road or just Mountain Avenue to Hillcrest Road. It just does not make sense to travel small residential roads when you can travel on county roads plus there is no direct access point to the facility from Emerson Lane. Why would we travel a small residential road; especially if we need to make stops along the way to make purchases at stores which are primarily located on Springfield Avenue?

You can take what you want from the above. But I feel that this is the viewpoint from many that would travel from outside of Berkeley Heights to get to the new facility. When ease of access is needed, the Route 78 method would be the preferred method. When we need to go shopping, Springfield Avenue would be the preferred method. This would allow us to frequent the stores that many of us have frequented in the past. Thus bringing business to the Berkeley Heights community. The success of a community and town is not just what it offers to the residents of the town but what facilities are near the town that will draw business into the town.

On a final note, we find it very disconcerting about the allegations that BAC parents’ would be drivers without a care for the neighborhood that we have entered. BAC is currently located in a residential community just off of Springfield Avenue with the entrance on Passaic Avenue. We are parents of
younger children that understand that these are the individuals that we lead us in the future. The safety and education of all off our children, those that use BAC and not, are our primary concern. This is evidenced by the BAC mission and vision statements and the below.

Sincerely,

Christopher Barry

“Out-of-Towner”