nosoftee It's been a while since my last visit to this area. While Mayor Sacco claims most of the accidents occurred inside of the parking area, don't you think there should be some type of enforcement? I've seen the way some people drive in parking lots/shopping centers, and some think they're out on a street or roadway cruising 25-40 MPH.
Secondly, Mayor Sacco should be thankful his Stack-supported jitneys don't venture into this area, or do they? Heaven help us if they do, more accident to report.
whyvote Why is it there is a left-turn lane at Target, Home Depot and Loew's but at the busier shopping center on all of Tonnelle Avenue at the Walmart there isn't any? Another question: Why did it seem PSE&G did all the work on Tonnelle Avenue by the Walmart Shopping Center around the holidays making it almost impossible to get in or out of the place?
CHAOS It's been over a year since they opened that mall up and there is still only one way in and out that causes the jam up. One thing that they don't focus on are these idiots who leave those shopping carts around -- they become bullets when the wind takes them and hits parked cars.
mickey2829 Mr. mayor that mall is an accident waiting to happen. If they could have made an exit and entrance to West Side Avenue, there would be less accidents and less traffic jams. The people who designed this place should be investigated to see if they had the right education to be involved in the construction of this place -- especially the people who OK'd the permits.
The North Bergen Concerned Citizens Group says the town clerk and commissioners are routinely violating the Open Public Meetings Act and withholding information from the public. The organization is calling upon Mayor Sacco and the town commission to provide more information to the public about town meetings and to support legislation sponsored by State Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D- Bergen) that would strengthen the public’s right to know how local governments operate.
The NBCCG co-chair Marissa Suarez, says the residents are being denied the right to how local government spends taxpayer money and what decisions are being made by the town’s governing body. She zeroed in on the town commissions meeting agenda’s which lack any detail about matters that will be addressed by the commission.
“To be a good citizen, you need to be informed about what your government is doing. Unfortunately in North Bergen, the governing body does everything within its power to withhold information from the public,” said Suarez.
Mario Blanch, the attorney for the NBCCG, said the commission purposely refuses to produce an itemized agenda for each commission meeting, detailing what matters will be discussed or voted on. He also noted that the commission refuses to provide an itemized bills list on the agenda.
“Mayor Sacco and the commission are violating the spirit and the intent of the Open Public Meetings Act by producing agendas that are worthless to any citizen who has an interest in the actions of the commissioners,” said Blanch. Each month the commission routinely pays bills amounting to tens of thousands of dollars without informing the public who is being paid and how much taxpayer money is being spent.”The attorney also noted that the commission schedules meetings at a time of day – 11 a.m. – when most people are working and cannot attend. “Mayor Sacco and the commissioners are doing everything in their power to hide what their actions from the public,” added Blanch. “No other municipality in the area schedules public meetings of its governing body at 11 a.m. on a weekday. I know, I checked.”
NBCCG co-chair Michael Kruetzer, said the organization is forming a petition to demand that the commissioners provide detailed agenda’s 72 hours in advance of their meetings and move the meetings to the evening so more people can attend. He said the agenda’s should be available online to any resident who wants to view them.
“I don’t think our demand is unreasonable,” said Kreutzer. “Residents deserve the opportunity to review the actions under consideration by the commission and they have a right to know how the commission is spending their money. That is not possible now with the way the commission and town clerk operate.”
Blanch said that he is challenging Mayor Sacco, who also serves as a state senator, to support Sen. Weinberg’s legislation S-1451, that would update and modernize Open Public Meetings Act,” commonly known as the “Sunshine Law,” in order to address changes to the operating procedure of public meetings since the enactment of the law in the 1970s. The bill would include quasi-governmental organizations – as well as independent authorities, redevelopment entities and improvement authorities – under the provisions of the law, and would require a public body to provide electronic notice of a meeting on its Internet site, as well as access to meeting minutes, agendas, resolutions and ordinances, if it maintains an Internet site.“
North Bergen would be a better place if Mayor Sacco stops putting barriers in the way of people who have a right to government information. He needs to stop presiding over a government that operates in the shadows and create a government that, as the law says, operates in the sunshine for all to see,” said Blanch.
NJ.com: Quality of life was sacrificed for North Bergen Walmart: Letter
The fact there have been at least 191 accidents on Tonnelle Avenue between 88th and 89th streets since Walmart shopping center opened is testament to the obvious fact that this development was poorly planned, badly designed and done regardless of its impact on the nearby neighborhoods.
Besides the huge number of car accidents at the location reported in The Jersey Journal, there have been a number of pedestrian accidents as well. In last year's heavy snow, the sidewalks along Tonnelle Avenue were not cleared, forcing pedestrians to walk in the heavy traffic.
The shopping center was an ill-conceived, unnecessary idea by local politicians and built without adequate traffic studies. Cars now pour through nearby neighborhoods, looking to avoid long traffic delays on Tonnelle Avenue. The concerns of neighbors living near the giant shopping mall were never taken into consideration before the shopping center was built.
Now the politicians tell us how great the mall is because of all the money the town is making. Really? How much money is it costing to have our Police Department and ambulance corps rush down to 88th Street every day to another accident scene? How much is it costing residents in delays sitting in traffic day after day?
Some things are more important than money -- things like quality of life and public safety. It seems both were sacrificed so Walmart can make more money.
The township Planning Board will have to reconsider safety issues raised by local residents about the proposed Appleview development on River Road, a judge has ruled.
The North Bergen Planning Board “had insufficient evidence to support a finding that the development’s benefits outweigh the detriments,” Hudson County Superior Court Judge Christine Farrington ruled on Dec. 22.
The North Bergen Planning Board approved construction of the five-story, 59-unit Appleview development in April and the Hudson County Planning Board voted 5-1 in favor of the project in October. The project would be located on the North Bergen/Guttenberg border at 7009 and 7101 River Road.
Residents at the nearby Galaxy Towers and others have raised concerns about an outer edge of the project being located 20 feet from the Transco Williams Gas Pipeline that provides New York City with 40 percent of its natural gas.
“Without direct testimony from qualified Transco personnel, the court is unable to find that the safety considerations required by the municipal land use law have been met,” Farrington stated in her decision.
Peggy Wong, president of the Coalition to Preserve Palisades Cliffs, applauded the court’s decision. “Both North Bergen and the county did the best they could to avoid the safety issues of the situation, and that was appalling,” Wong said.
North Bergen spokesman Phil Swibinski said township officials remain “confident that the Appleview project will be built.”
It is “completely safe” and “will be beneficial for the area,” he said. “One of the hallmarks of Mayor (Nicholas) Sacco’s administration is creating responsible, safe development throughout the community that adds to the ratable base and keeps property taxes stable for residents.”
In the meantime, Carmelo Spoleti, the Appleview developer, has submitted an application to the North Bergen Board of Adjustment for the construction of a seven-story, 24-unit residential building near the intersection of Church Hill Road and River Road, according to township officials.
Joe Shine Photo Firefighters battle a blaze on Broadway near 74th Street in North Bergen on Wednesday.
The aftermath of Wednesday’s four-alarm fire at a three-story Broadway building near 74th Street in North Bergen has 25 people displaced and two buildings condemned, officials said.
“The investigation is ongoing as to what started the fire, but we are looking at some space heaters in the area affected by the flames,” said North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue Acting Chief Frank Montagne.
Nos. 7400 and 7404 Broadway are set for condemnation, and 7408 Broadway was also badly damaged.
Hudson County Red Cross response manager Claudio Perez said 13 people from five different families displaced by the fire are all staying at the same local hotel under the care of the Red Cross.
The other dozen individuals have been relocated elsewhere to stay with friends and family, Perez added.
Local businessman Larry Wainstein and the North Bergen Concerned Citizens Group announced they are donating $1,000 to the fire victims.
The group is also collecting clothes and nonperishable food items for the victims, Wainstein said, and they are encouraging people to donate money through the Red Cross.
Checks should be made out to: American Red Cross of Northern NJ, and mailed to 209 Fairfield Road, Fairfield NJ 07004.
“The fire is a horrific tragedy for the people who live and work in those buildings and we want to offer whatever help we can,” said Wainstein. “This is the kind of tragedy that demands a community response.”
Wainstein added that clothes and food for the victims can be dropped off at his store, Tonnelle Wine & Liquors, 8516 Tonnelle Ave., North Bergen.
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