Council seeking to slow things down on Dell Road

STANHOPE-Trying to build on last year's visit, the mayor and council came calling again on the residents of High Point Condominiums. Mayor Diana Kuncken explained that visit was a way the governing body's way to "trying to extend ourselves to the portion of the community that lives at High Point," an area that comprises one-third of the municipality's residents. One major issue for discussion during the March 29, visit was the speeding vehicles that use Dell Road between Route 183 and the condominium property. John Cilo, town engineer also presented the governing body's plan to install speed humps at five different locations on Dell Road approaching the condominium complex. Cilo explained that speed humps are wider, presenting a more gradual increment than a speed bump. According to the town engineer, the devices have been successful on three other streets in town - Musconetcong Avenue, High Street, and New Street. They humps, Cilo said, help reduce the amount of traffic as drivers often take alternate routes to avoid the speed humps. Installation of such devices would required approval from the state department of transportation. In response to citizens' concerns of the effect the humps would have on emergency vehicle response time, Cilo explained, that the devices have not been found to significantly increase response time. "This is not a panacea. It has its plusses and minuses," admitted Cilo. The mayor added that the council's intention was not to impose the plan on the residents, and explained that in places where the devices have been installed, it was done at the request of the people residing in those areas. The plan includes the installation of signs warning drivers of the presence of humps. Some residents complaint that the proposed locations would present problems with snow removal and drainage as well as increase noise level in the area. Cilo told the residents he has not received such complaints from the three streets already outfitted with the device Those residents whose property would be directly affected by the humps were assured by the engineer that he was presenting a proposed plan and that revisions could be made to accommodate their requirements.