ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS HERALD
19 December 2002

LINCROFT SIDEWALKS SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

With reference to the story (Public Transportation Enhanced in Lincroft Village), you need to know that the Task Force members in Lincroft were NOT in favor of the placement of the benches, lights, trash buckets on the Lincroft sidewalks. The contractor landscape engineer from T&M gave them no input. Therefore, the benches etc., were placed in the accessible pathway, making the usable sidewalk space much too narrow under the ADA. There are signal lights in the way as well, even in a curbcut, I believe.

For over a year the Task Force and I (as "The Equalizers") have been dealing with the town officials to get the street furniture moved off the sidewalks. Mr. Czech promised me a year ago they would be moved, but there they sit. Within the last month or so, Task Force members read a letter at the town committee meeting demanding that the benches and barrels, which are dangerous and illegal, should be removed. The mayor said, "Let's move them tomorrow." Yet, there they remain. They should have been moved away to storage a year ago while rights-of-way to nearby property Mr. Czech said were needed were obtained.

Carolyn Schwebel
The Equalizers
http://www.equalizers.org