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Long-term plan for Route 9 corridor being
discussed
By Dick Metzgar  | | Western Monmouth County is one of the fastest growing areas in the state, which adds to the traffic problems on Route 9. |
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The seven municipalities that make up Western Monmouth County have one huge problem in common - the Route 9 corridor.
Escalating traffic congestion on Route 9 is their horror story, from Marlboro Township in the north to Howell Township in the south. The affected communities in between are Englishtown Borough, Manalapan Township, Freehold Township, Freehold Borough and Farmingdale Borough.
Making matters worse is the fact that Western Monmouth is one of the fastest growing areas in the state, being recognized as one of the best places in the country in which to live - except for the horrendous traffic congestion on Route 9.
With that in mind, several years ago, the Monmouth County Planning Board embarked on a monumental project to come up with a plan that would not only address the Route 9 traffic problem, but would also improve the quality of life all along the Route 9 corridor, according to Bonnie Goldschlag, assistant director of the board.
In 2001, the board was awarded a $250,000 state Smart Growth planning grant from the state Department of Community Affairs to come up with a plan to address problems connected with growth in Western Monmouth County, Goldschlag said.
The Orth-Rodgers Associates Inc. engineering and planning firm was hired to come up with the plan.
"The firm is now putting together the different components of the plan so that it can be presented to the state for endorsement by the state Department of Smart Growth and the State Planning Commission as an acceptable regional plan," Goldschlag said. "This would make us eligible for funding and technical assistance to implement the plan through the state. We hope to have the plan ready to go to the state by the end of the year."
The seven communities are tied together by the presence of Route 9. This four-lane highway runs through five of the seven municipalities, and the two communities not on the highway - Englishtown and Farmingdale boroughs - incorporate the roadway into a large percentage of their trips.
The three boroughs are completely encompassed by three of the townships: Englishtown by Manalapan, Farmingdale by Howell, and Freehold Borough by Freehold Township.
"The biggest problems for the townships is growth and how to manage it," Goldschlag said. "The biggest problem for the boroughs is the best way to implement redevelopment. The goal of the Route 9/Western Monmouth Development Plan is to identify the best alternatives for each of the seven communities to deal with these issues."
The objectives of the plan are:
+ To identify and assess current and future land use and transportation conditions of the Route 9 corridor region.
+ To identify development and redevelopment concepts that will help municipalities manage growth in keeping with available infrastructure.
+ To maintain or improve mobility by enhancing the existing transportation network and encouraging the development of alternative transportation modes, including biking, walking and transit.
+ To protect natural resources in balance with the built environment.
+ To preserve farmland.
+ To promote growth in urban centers and other compact forms, and counteract sprawl.
+ To protect the character and quality of life of the region.
+ To cooperatively prepare a regional plan to submit to the state Planning Commission for plan endorsement.
Goldschlag said Monmouth is one of the first counties to participate in the Smart Growth program, and is optimistic that the proposed plan will receive the necessary endorsement.
"I think our plan will fit in well with the guidelines the state has established for Smart Growth," Goldschlag said. "I think that the state will work with us."
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