Midland Traffic Signals A Go

The Borough is moving forward with plans to install traffic signals at the intersection of West Midland Avenue and Country Club Road.

Last week, the Borough advertised for bids for the project, the cost of which is primarily being borne by and the Ridgewood Country Club.

The college and the golf course use Country Club Road as an entrance, and many residents have complained that Midland Avenue becomes congested during the school year, especially in the mornings and evenings.

William Fleischman, a Benton Road resident, said it was "impossible" to turn onto Midland Avenue from Abbott Road in the morning. Fleischman and other residents at a recent Board of Adjustment hearing for a plan to activate a traffic light further up the road, at the entrance to the and a proposed across the street.

The Borough plans to have traffic signals installed that will operate simultaneously on Abbott Road and Country Club Road. Plans also include a crosswalk on the east side of Abbot Road.

The Borough is paying $25,650 in engineering costs to Birdsall Engineering to get the project off the ground, a figure that grew from the original $8,800 after the location of the crosswalk was moved twice.

"These few dollars to get the project off the ground is a small price toward the benefit that the community would enjoy," Mayor Richard LaBarbiera said.

The Ridgewood Country Club and Bergen Community College, from which most of the congestion stems, are splitting the cost of the work itself, together committing up to $350,000 toward the project. Birdsall Engineering estimated the total cost would be about $300,000.

"The town's wanted this for quite some time," LaBarbiera said.

The Borough is set to receive bids for the project on Sept. 7. After than, the winner of the contract has three months to finish the work.