Steve Vai
Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
Can you write different versions of this so those of us that can’t write can just send it in ? 😂
Meeting w/park superintendent
- Thread starter jdog
- Start date
Can you write different versions of this so those of us that can’t write can just send it in ? 😂
SLug
Well-Known Member
Great letter…Can you add something in there about the NICA kids crossing the road as a group? I’m not sure if that’s helpful, but kid safety is typically a strong motivator. The challenges of crossing a busy road with a large group of kids on bikes has to be butt-puckering for the coaches
ekuhn
Well-Known Member
Try ChatGPT. It'll do a better job.
Here is another letter:
Supervisor Russo:
I’m writing in regards to Six Mile Run State Park.
There are two safety issues that need attention:
I’d like to request the reopening of the Red Trail.
The Red Trail has a section that is closed off from use. Prior to this closure, the trail naturally looped back to the Canal Road parking lot. Hikers and bikers generally moved in a one way flow around the park with about a tenth of a mile of exposure to vehicles on Canal Road. With the closure, users of the park face two choices:
This is a safety issue that could be solved by reopening the Red Trail. Reducing time spent by hikers and bikers on the roads protects them from vehicles, and decreases risk of exposure to vehicles by a significant amount of time.
Pedestrian Signal Lights
I’d like to request the installation of pedestrian signal lights on South Middlebush Road between the sections of Six Mile Run park.
Six Mile Run is divided in half by South Middlebush Road. Hikers and bikers need to cross the road to continue their hikes, runs, or rides. The crossing is at the bottom of a valley that sees vehicles driving down the hill with speed. There are signs that note the presence of the Six Mile Run trail heads; however, from a safety perspective, they are inadequate.
Installing yellow pedestrian crossing signs with lights will better alert drivers that crossings happen. The signs and lights are easier to see, thus allowing drivers to note the presence of pedestrians and adjust their speed.
Thank You
Supervisor Russo:
I’m writing in regards to Six Mile Run State Park.
There are two safety issues that need attention:
- The reopening of the Red Trail; and
- Installation of pedestrian signs with signal lights on South Middlebush Road.
I’d like to request the reopening of the Red Trail.
The Red Trail has a section that is closed off from use. Prior to this closure, the trail naturally looped back to the Canal Road parking lot. Hikers and bikers generally moved in a one way flow around the park with about a tenth of a mile of exposure to vehicles on Canal Road. With the closure, users of the park face two choices:
- Walk or ride out to Jacques Road and back down to the Canal Road lot; or
- Double back to the Canal Road lot.
- For bikers: on average from about 1 minute to 5 minutes; and
- For hikers: on average from about 5 minutes to 20 minutes.
This is a safety issue that could be solved by reopening the Red Trail. Reducing time spent by hikers and bikers on the roads protects them from vehicles, and decreases risk of exposure to vehicles by a significant amount of time.
Pedestrian Signal Lights
I’d like to request the installation of pedestrian signal lights on South Middlebush Road between the sections of Six Mile Run park.
Six Mile Run is divided in half by South Middlebush Road. Hikers and bikers need to cross the road to continue their hikes, runs, or rides. The crossing is at the bottom of a valley that sees vehicles driving down the hill with speed. There are signs that note the presence of the Six Mile Run trail heads; however, from a safety perspective, they are inadequate.
Installing yellow pedestrian crossing signs with lights will better alert drivers that crossings happen. The signs and lights are easier to see, thus allowing drivers to note the presence of pedestrians and adjust their speed.
Thank You
ekuhn
Well-Known Member
Russo is Somerset County Roads Superintendent. He has nothing to do with the park.
this only helps if enforcement is also stepped up
Well it will be safer to cross near the end of the month! LOL
Juggernaut
Master of the Metaphor
As someone who’s daily commute to work passed this exact spot for over 20 years. I do not support this. It impacts thousands of people daily. A compromise would be to include the language “when people are present “.
I’d prefer a painted crosswalk and reflective signage. It’s less expensive, quicker to install and more likely to happen.
I was thinking just in the area of the crossing. Like on 579 / Harbourton rd. There’s that one section that goes to 25mph.
Pearl
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Ha, middlebush might as well be a 4 lane highway
I think this needs to happen. A petition for such could prove helpful.
At 45 mph, stopping distance is about 200 feet. We'd need warning signage at least 250' from the crossing to give people time to stop.
I think there's a recent action we're missing. There's absolutly no parking on Middlebush Rd (thanks to the park for blocking that off with piles of rock). Since there's no parking there, any trail users *must* cross a 45 mph road with no warnings, no painted crosswalk, which is a violation of the NJDOT Pedestrain Facilities Manual. The current signs aren't warnings. No one could possibly stop their car in time.
Page 15
Key words in the above are between and area. Six @ Middlebush qualifies.
Page 19
This should be a slam dunk to request warning signs and painted markings. There's electricty there, so lights should be easy to install and mandatory as well.
The red trail is a state park issue and shouldn't be lumped in with the Middlebush road issue. Different govenrments. Unfortunately, I don't think there's any chance the red trail is opened any time soon. Someone in Trenton made the decision, not someone in the park. Our best bet is to get the park to agree to a master plan with a suitable alternative to Jacques/Canal that we would build.
I think there's a recent action we're missing. There's absolutly no parking on Middlebush Rd (thanks to the park for blocking that off with piles of rock). Since there's no parking there, any trail users *must* cross a 45 mph road with no warnings, no painted crosswalk, which is a violation of the NJDOT Pedestrain Facilities Manual. The current signs aren't warnings. No one could possibly stop their car in time.
Page 15
Key words in the above are between and area. Six @ Middlebush qualifies.
Page 19
This should be a slam dunk to request warning signs and painted markings. There's electricty there, so lights should be easy to install and mandatory as well.
The red trail is a state park issue and shouldn't be lumped in with the Middlebush road issue. Different govenrments. Unfortunately, I don't think there's any chance the red trail is opened any time soon. Someone in Trenton made the decision, not someone in the park. Our best bet is to get the park to agree to a master plan with a suitable alternative to Jacques/Canal that we would build.
I am glad you mention different governments as Middlebush is Somerset County Route 615, the bridge milepost is 3.14. So, county jurisdiction roadway, while they use the guidelines of the state and while the state will fund projects on county roads, they aren't actively seeking out county based projects. On the plus side, Middlebush is a Minor Arterial Roadway, which means it can get more funding and the average annual daily traffic (AADT) is around 13,000, so relatively high for a two lane facility.
Jacques Lane is the lowest type of road on the totem pole, low AADT and a local road. Hardest to get improvements on with municipal jurisdiction.
Somerset County is the starting point for this.
This seems like a job for @christryon
Nerd
ekuhn
Well-Known Member
I received a call back from Patrick Marotto the Supervising Traffic Safety Investigator for Somerset County. He is a frequent user of South Middlebush and actually asked about the piles of stone in that driveway. He did indicate that there are multiple jurisdictions that need to be involved as I mentioned above.
I sent him a copy of the Trail map to get him acquainted. His response was positive and that I would be hearing from him.
I sent him a copy of the Trail map to get him acquainted. His response was positive and that I would be hearing from him.
You can tell him that these piles block emergency access from a heavily traveled park. Same is true for 77 blackwells mill. Seems like a large oversight.