As one gets closer, a section of the fence has been peeled back and one of the security pipes has been hacksawed.
The bridge itself over Route 130:
The "Camden" side of the bridge also has a hole in the fence. It is smaller and also in a more dangerous position, requiring the individual to step down on an old wooden plank that is the only support for body weight before ending up on Rte. 130:
The other side of the bridge is 43rd and Chestnut. Chestnut runs for 7 more blocks until Pennsauken meets the border of Camden at 36th St. The rail bed in this area is an elevated dirt ridge, the rails are somewhat still intact, and the terrain is overgrown with trees, shrubs, tires, and cans. While the rail bed has seen better days, the neighborhood appears safe and homeowners take pretty good care of their neighborhood.
Once you pass 36th St. and enter Camden, you are on your own. Chestnut becomes Rosedale Ave. While the land around the rail bed is cleared, it's full of debris and loiterers. Around 32nd, the fabled bike path begins, and if you go as far down where Rosedale merges into Westfield Ave., there is a very nice, new bike path with new benches and it is well lit - albeit blocked off with 8' chain-linked fences on both sides of the bike path. Nonetheless, a bike path in Camden is closer than what one might think.
So what does this all mean for Merchantville? The bridge itself is in Pennsauken. If it's converted into a bike path one day, that day is probably a few years off. Merchantville will probably not have a say in it, and certainly won't be flipping the bill for any of it. Something probably should be done about fixing the fences. Each opening is not that big, and I would dismiss the urban legend of bikes in Merchantville being exported out of town over the bridge. But from a safety perspective, the fences should be repaired.
Other than the fence, there is not much that Merchantville can say. We've got to worry about a potential merger and making sure TCE is done right. Continuing to make this bridge an issue for Merchantville will lead us nowhere.
20 comments:
rebuild the fence and it gets hack sawed again, right?
Why put up a thread and tell us not to talk about it? That's ok with me.
Nice pictures.
The piece seems like an attempt by the non-progressives to explain to their colleagues why they should direct their efforts elsewhere. Sort of saying, "the bridge is not so bad" and these other things are much worse.
Who are the loiterers mentioned in the piece?
Loiterers are generally defined as people who stand idly about, so my guess is that the photographer didn't ask the loiterers who they were -- would you? That would be at best, rude, and at worst, dangerous.
The photos are excellent and give a clear picture of the RR bridge and the surrounding area. I didn’t see anything “non-progressive” about the piece ... just a statement that since the bridge is in Pennsauken, we don’t have a say in what happens to it.
I’m curious about what a progressive view would be. There may be no one better than you to give that view.
I think the bridge itself is dangerous to walk on. Access will need to be secured and blocked for the safety of people who are using it as a walkway.
The photos show trees growing on the bridge rail bed, and they should probably be removed before the roots damage the bridge.
If the bridge is dangerous to walk on, a real concern might be that pieces of the bridge could fall onto Rt. 130 ... or onto a car traveling Rt. 130. My questions would be: When was this bridge last inspected? Who’s responsible for repairing the bridge -- the RR, or Pennsauken, or Camden County, or some other government entity? Wouldn’t ensuring the safety of this bridge be a better use of NJ DOT and Federal “stimulus” money, rather than spending half a million on Merchantville’s bike path?
I know, there’s not much the public can say. Only the bureaucrats know what’s best for us.
The reference to a progressive versus non-progressive attitude of the piece derives from the last paragraph which seems to be directing directs the non-progessive sleeper cells to "worry" about the merger and TCE. There is nothing for a progreesive person to worry about in these matters. They are progressing nicely and are being carefully watched.
Cruiser-
I'm not a progressive or liberal and I support the consolidation study, but hate the TCE proposal. I'm inclined to think that consolidation is a good thing, because it will lead to less government jobs. What does this have to do with that broken down bridge?
A potential merger and TCE have nothing at all to do with a broken down bridge. It’s just that we can’t chew gum and walk at the same time.
If we worry about a merger with Cherry Hill and the development of TCE (neither of which we can do anything about right now, if we ever will), then we won’t have enough brainpower left to think about a bridge to nowhere.
We really shouldn’t worry about those issues anyway. As Cruiser says regularly, these matters are “progressing nicely and are being carefully watched”.
Our progressive and paternalistic local government will make the decisions that have to be made for our own good. It’s none of our concern. Don’t you worry your little head about it.
Well, beings as the merger and TCE have nothing to do with a broken down bridge, there is no rationale in mentioning them in an otherwise nicely written piece about a broken down bridge other than to attempt to focus future actions of the non-progressive sleeper cells on them.
Citizens will go on to wisely re-elect local governments which have made and will continue to make wise decisions on our behalf. The local governments will be closely watched by citizen watchdogs including the non-progressives.
cruiser, that was a rather large amount of gooble-dee-gook.
Sleeper cells are normally associated with terrorist activities, Cruiser. Your use of the term in this context is way over the top.
Believe it or not, there are Merchantville residents who simply disagree with actions and policies of local government officials. They represent st least 40% of the electorate ... hardly sleeper cells.
Gail, where are you getting the figure that atleast 40% of the electorate disagree with the actions and policies of local government officials? For someone who can appreciate precise figures and quotes, I would think that you would have information to back up this claim. And if you are simply using election results, remember that people vote for candidates for many different reasons and not always because of their discontent with the status quo.
I was simply using election results because that seemed to be the most logical measure. Now that you mention it, however, the percentage of residents who disagree with the actions and policies of local government officials is probably much higher -- maybe closer to 80%.
By actions and policies, I’m referring to such things as taking the former PNC Bank off the tax rolls without a signed contract from a tenant, rushing to pay much more than market value for 9 E. Park Ave. and allowing the owner to occupy it without paying rent or taxes, planning to build a large 3-story walk-up rental apartment in the middle of town (without requiring adequate parking spaces), spending half a million dollars to enlarge and extend a perfectly good bike/walking path, and perhaps even rejecting a proposal for consolidation with Cherry Hill by Council vote only and not a vote of the people.
The percentage of residents not agreeing with at least one of those actions could be as high as 90%. Thanks for correcting my numbers.
Well there is at least one person in town who dislikes local government having done all of those things and that person's name begins with G. Having such dislikes is perfectly all right.
While the current status of the bank building is indeed a disappointment, it is the willingness to take risk which is the way these actions by local government should be judged. Nothing risked, nothing gained. If the community wants gains in areas like elimination of blight, it has to take risks. In the election the voters approved the taking of risk. The opposition, who were staunchly anti-risk, suffered as a result.
In analyzing the bank deal keep in mind that the deal was not only for the bank building but also for the substantial (for Merchantville) land which accompanied it.
And I can only add once again to the numerous previous blog postings that, in the end, the bike path improvements will not cost Merchantville taxpayers the half million dollars mentioned. The community likes the Merchantville bike path.
Sleeper cells is a term most often used in the media in reference to terrorism. But there are many other uses of it such as NEA/NJEA sleeper cells in communities. Such cells were occasionally experienced when I was on the school board. It has come to mean devotees of an issue who are not part of the main orgainzation supporting that issue. In any event, no terrorist intent intended.
Best wishes to all for a happy and pleasnat Thanksgiving.
I got a bill from the Merchantville-Pennsauken Water Commission for $2,847! My usual bill is less than $80.
They corrected it with a phone call (thanks).
Did any one else get an unusually high bill? Also, even if your bill is just a little higher than usual, perhaps you should call to check it out.
On Monday Council extended the December payment deadline for sewer bills to December 31 to compensate for the late notice of rate increase.
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