Mayor Addresses DOT Issues With Governor's Office

The long list of issues the borough has with the state Department of Transportation such as unresolved maintenance problems and unattended traffic safety issues have now been placed in the hands of the governor’s office.

Mayor Rose Heck reported Tuesday night on her recent meeting with Rich Bagger, Governor Chris Christie’s chief of staff. Bagger is now expected to follow up in regards to the borough’s ongoing problems with the DOT which she brought to his attention.

Heck commented that the list of complaints amounted to 12-inches in thickness including everything from the numerous problems with the environmental water basin at the base of Franklin Avenue and Route 17 south, the delay in getting the red light cameras for the traffic lights for the three intersections on Route 17 and other maintenance issues.

She spoke to him about the numerous maintenance problems the borough has with the which they foresaw before it was put in. Heck told him the project was a waste of money in her opinion and it should have been put in on the east side of Route 17. The area where the basin is located now is adjacent to the borough’s athletic field.

Borough officials and its engineer have stated numerous times that the field could be affected if the basin were to flood. Previously the state DOT has told the borough’s engineer it would rectify the drainage problems but the work has not been.

Maintenance is another big issue as vegetation at the site has at times grown to about six feet high.  There are other maintenance issues with the DOT ramps and roadways to which Heck stated have been brought to the attention of the Board of Health which will put the DOT on notice.

She said Police Chief Michael Colaneri, who was asked to join the meeting, gave Bagger photos which show the lack of maintenance at these sites and she stated is a detriment to the look of the borough which is otherwise a clean community.

Concerns in regards to safety on Route 17 continue as the borough has been placed on a waiting list for red light cameras which they were promised by the state DOT for the three intersections at Williams, Franklin and the jughandle by the White Castle.

She asked Bagger to look into this matter as the borough had been told 25 other boroughs in the program were to get the cameras first and that Hasbrouck Heights was now listed as number 30. Later they were told three other towns dropped out and now the borough is number 27 on the list.

Heck and Colaneri pointed out to him that the traffic lights on 17 are the first lights that drivers hit when travelling from New York state and that there are numerous problems on both the north and south side of the roadway at the three intersections. The cameras would help the police department monitor traffic at these intersections where it has been said that numerous accidents have been reported.

The mayor said the borough would benefit from revenue from the issuance of tickets and would make the area safer. She said Bagger told her that revenue from tickets would likely go away to which Heck said was fine as long as the Heights section of the roadway was safe which is the main priority.

Heck pointed out that the meeting was originally planned for Trenton but he offered to travel to Hasbrouck Heights to save her the trip.