FAIR HAVEN: GO SLOW ON SIGNS & PLANTERS
The Fair Haven council wants fewer ped x-ing signs on River Road. Complaints have also been made about the number of planters and trash cans along sidewalks, below. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi; click to enlarge)
By DUSTIN RACIOPPI
On River Road heading through Fair Haven heading toward Rumson, the signs are hard to miss: large, yellow warnings of pedestrian crossings, many bunched together.
The neon-bright clusters, while clearly there for safety purposes, might be a little much. Borough leadership certainly thinks so.
“There are just so many of them, I think you could make the argument that they lose their effectiveness,” Administrator Theresa Casagrande said. “Not only is there a sign, there’s a sign saying there’s a sign coming up.”
Mayor Mike Halfacre said the signs have been there for years, but complaints have been coming in to borough hall for just as long, and the council wants Monmouth County, which is responsible for River Road, to consider reducing the number. There are at least six on each side of the road through the business district, and another four or so just before the Rumson border.
“It’s reached a point where we need to do something about it,” he said.
You might say the council needs to do something about another clutter problem in town, not far from those big, honking signs.
The newest additions to the borough’s business district are also triggering a complaint-box blitz.
As part of the nearly-finished streetscape project, workers have placed new black trash cans and thus far plant-free planters on the sidewalks on River Road. Set between new lampposts and benches, the cylindrical fixtures seem to be every few feet.
Halfacre, who’s gotten an earful about the planters as well, said their placement is temporary.
“They were basically dropped off there. They’re going to be moved and placed in different areas,” he said. “Just wait until it’s done and it’s not going to look nearly as cluttered.”
Work on the nearly year-long, $886,000, federal stimulus-funded project is almost complete, Halface said. Workers are still configuring the wiring for the new lighting, and of course they need to shuffle the trash cans and planters around “punch list stuff,” Halfacre said.
“It’s getting very close to the end,” he said, “but it’s the type of stuff that takes forever to finish up.”
Mar 31, 2011 @ 06:55:40
im not sure if its a street scape or a runway. there sure are a lot of lights! who’s paying that electric bill, oh wait… ME!
Mar 31, 2011 @ 08:26:16
agreed, too many lights. but I do like the planter/brick thing in front of Acme.
Mar 31, 2011 @ 11:18:05
Too many lamp posts, it looks like runway 22 at LaGuardia. How can this be remediated? I understand the reason for the LED bulbs, but they are harsh.
Mar 31, 2011 @ 11:54:50
Not only are there too many lamp posts (they seem to be about 50 ft apart), but the old street lights are also still working so it is mighty bright at night for River Road residents like me.
Mar 31, 2011 @ 12:29:39
the streetlights in the Historic District are like three times more spreadout then the 72 new ones they just installed, why are the new ones so close? Also who plans to sit and look at traffic all day and the planters and trash cans use up most of the sidewalk so theres now where to walk safely.
Apr 01, 2011 @ 08:29:53
Besides being enough lights to rename the town Fair Vegas, has anyone noticed the orange color of the new lights? Not very pleasant on the eye or antique looking. Fortunately we have a great council and Mayor who live amongst us and can see the same things. I’m sure they will remedy it. It’s a good step forward for the town when done.
Apr 04, 2011 @ 12:00:51
maybe while they’re busy spending money we DO pay for in some shape or way, they should put more speedbumps on River Road and Traffic Lights too, theres no problem putting speedbumps in front of the mayor’s house why not everywhere else too…thats just what we need in City Haven