Change order renews debate over Millburn street enhancements

MILLBURN — Construction will continue on an extensive road- and sidewalk-enhancement project in the downtown, despite dissent from some residents and business owners disturbed by the ongoing changes.

The Millburn Township Committee has issued a work directive to Flanagan's Contracting Group Inc. to complete Phase I of the Complete Streets project.

The project includes sidewalk widening along the north side of Millburn Avenue from Douglas to Spring streets and installing a bump-out at the Douglas Street intersection.

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The Township Committee adopted a resolution to continue the work during a special meeting Aug. 3.

The project, which the township bonded $8.2 million for last year, was put on hold earlier this year so revisions could be made to the plans, which called for an "extreme narrowing" of Douglas Street and turning the current "slip lanes" into a hard stop for both left- and right-hand turns.

In June, Flanagan's Contracting was awarded a contract for $3.8 million for Phase I of the project.

Last month, the Township Committee approved a change order that could lead to adding a traffic lane on Millburn Avenue between Douglas Street and Town Hall.

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On Aug. 3, the committee authorized that the change order, which includes the sidewalk widening, be enacted.

Some residents and business owners are outraged at the committee for approving the resolution because they believed there wasn't going to be more sidewalk widening.

"I was at the last meeting [in July], and my understanding was that the sidewalks were not going to be widened because that's what narrows Millburn Avenue," said Layni Rothbort, a township resident.

"We were happy and satisfied with that. We understood there was going to be no change as a result of that motion," said Rothbort, noting that she feels members of the public were misled or that there was a mistake in the way the motion was explained.

On behalf of the committee, Millburn Mayor Cheryl Burstein rebutted Rothbort's claim.

"I do not believe there was any misleading, certainly no intentional misleading," Burstein said. "The plans clearly show a widening of sidewalks."

Committee members voted in favor of the resolution, except for Eglow, who made a motion to further modify the plan. Eglow opposed the measure, saying the sidewalk should not be widened by 2 feet on the north side of Millburn Avenue.

According to Eglow, widening the sidewalk would narrow the street on Millburn Avenue and cause traffic backups.

Keeping the curb as it is and allowing for two traffic lanes "would visually and aesthetically work out better," she said.

Millburn Township Committeeman Robert Tillotson said he voted in favor of the resolution because, according to him, revisions to the plan allow enough width to accommodate two lanes of traffic, even if the sidewalks are widened.

Completing a Complete Streets plan first came about in 2015 when the township Environmental Commission suggested a way to make the downtown area more pedestrian-friendly. The project is also designed to enhance transportation, and to alleviate traffic.

But some residents and local business owners are frustrated with the plan and believe it has had the opposite effect.

"People feel so inconvenienced," said Cassie Fishkin, owner of Tinga Taqueria, a Mexican restaurant on Millburn Avenue.

"They don't want to drive in the town anymore," Fishkin said, noting that it takes her 25 minutes to get from her home in Springfield 3 1/2 miles away to her restaurant in Millburn.

She claimed the construction has forced businesses to leave town, leaving empty storefronts.

"There is no meaningful action happening here," Fishkin said. "The project is not creating safety and a convenient downtown. It is creating madness, chaos, dysfunction and utter waste."

Millburn Committeewoman Jodi Rosenberg, trying to calm the frustrated residents and business owners, assured them that the Township Committee does care. Rosenberg explained the delays were because the committee has disagreed on aspects of the project.

Fishkin then said the project should be tabled, to which Rosenberg responded that the township has contracted for the work.

Email: kelleher@northjersey.com