I-78 is scenic!?! Ha!
Alpha: No scenic labels
Borough council nixes joining other communities in designation for I-78.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
By SARAH WOJCIK
The Express-Times
ALPHA Efforts to designate Interstate 78 a scenic byway will continue without Alpha's support, Greenwich Township Mayor Elaine Emiliani said Tuesday night.
Emiliani approached Alpha Borough Council representing a group behind the scenic byway proposal. She hoped for a letter of support from council members.
Instead, she received staunch opposition to the idea.
"It was more of a courtesy to have them involved," she said after the meeting. "We can and will proceed without them."
The designation would earn the corridor federal money for safety and aesthetic improvements.
No one on borough council seconded a motion to send a letter of support to the state for the designation.
"I, personally, do not see the benefits of making I-78 a scenic byway," Alpha Councilman Harry Zikas Jr. said
Billboards that dot the interstate were the biggest sticking points between the council and Emiliani. Restrictions on roadside advertising would accompany the byway designation.
Emiliani, noting the high level of crashes on the corridor, suggested billboard removal could benefit traffic safety.
Alpha Mayor Ed Hanics Jr. said the digital billboards Emiliani criticized can serve the public in several ways, including Amber Alerts.
Emiliani agreed, but said state signs at weigh stations can serve the same purpose.
Hanics and Zikas cited heavy signage along the roadway as reasons why designating it a scenic byway seemed silly.
"All you see on one side is walls and then on the other, advertisements for businesses," Hanics said.
Emiliani called these observations the "negatives" on the highway that can be remedied if I-78 were a scenic byway.
"The positives certainly outweigh the negatives for historic value," she said.
Zikas said he saw no redeeming features in giving I-78 the special designation.
"Route 29 as a scenic byway? Certainly; it's beautiful," said Zikas, referring to the state road in Hunterdon County. "But I-78, with 18-wheelers all over the road? No, I'm sorry, I don't see it.
"I'm looking at this realistically. It's just not rolling hills anymore."
Emiliani said she reached out to Alpha to pursue the designation with hopes for neighborly cooperation.
"You're the only town that hasn't bought into this," she told council. "I didn't anticipate it would be this difficult."
Emilani said after the meeting the proposal to designate the interstate has gone before and been accepted by 16 other municipalities among Warren, Hunterdon and Somerset counties.
Ok, now my turn (again)...Mayor Emiliani mislead us. Alpha is NOT the "only town that hasn't bought into this". It seems that the Town of Phillipsburg has yet to adopt a resolution or issue a letter of support for the scenic byway proposal. During the meeting, I kept asking Ms. Emiliani if Greenwich benefits from their 'scenic' weigh station right on Route 78, but she kept dodging and wouldn't give me an answer. Well, of course they benefit from it and if Route 78 is designated as a scenic byway, Greenwich gets to keep their weigh station and continue to benefit, but Alpha would lose their single billboard and the lease payments that go along with it. Who wins, who loses?
Labels: Alpha, Route I-78
posted by Harry Zikas, Jr. @ 7:57 PM
1 Comments
1 Comments:
Councilman Zikas,
I was not at your meeting and do not want to get into a “he said – she said”. But, I do want to clarify some items.
1) You are correct – Alpha Borough is not the only municipality to not support this proposal. Bridgewater Township has declined after being invited to participate and having attended a meeting of the Somerset County Freeholders and members of the Somerset Planning Board. Phillipsburg has decided not to participate but has agreed to send a letter of support.
2) I think there is a misunderstanding regarding Alpha billboards. Our proposal has NOTHING to do with your existing billboards. Furthermore, there is nothing in our proposal nor in any of our conversations that state we are asking municipalities to remove any existing billboards, nor would they be required to do so if this proposal was to be approved.
Part of the scenic byway designation is to provide both positive and negative aspects of the proposed designation. Some of the existing negative aspects being documented are the various cell towers, truck stops, billboards and high power lines that line the current proposal. These will be documented and will remain intact.
I believe the positive aspects of this proposal far outweigh the negative. These include historic rail lines, scenic vistas, preserved farm land and recreational opportunities that are unique to our region and should be preserved and promoted.
As stated in our Mission and Vision provided on our web site –
MISSION and VISION
As public and private partners, we join together to support, promote and augment the proposed I-78 Historic and Scenic Corridor to protect the valued intrinsic features, preserve unique historic and cultural features, encourage tourism, engender local pride and participation, and support the economic well-being of our stakeholder communities for future generations.
We will work with Federal, State, County and local agencies to ensure buy-in and understanding.
We will use our collective knowledge to assist other grassroots organizations in pursuing the same goals as ours.
I had hoped that we could work together and have a mutual understanding as to the pros and cons of this issue before it got to where it is now.
I hope that we may be able to work together in the near future.
Mark Paradis
Mayor, Lebanon Borough
Member, I-78 Corridor Historic and Scenic Byway Alliance
www.lebanonboro.com/scenicbyway
www.markparadis.com/blog
Post a Comment
<< Home