Letter To The Editor: Mall's Traffic Impact On West Mahwah

The Crossroads Town Center, a 600,000 square foot shopping center proposed to surround the off of Route 17 in Mahwah, is in the middle of Planning Board public hearings. Last week, the until mid-June, at the request of the developer. During the hearings, residents have brought up many concerns about the controversial shopping center, including the impact it will have on traffic to both highways and local roadways. A traffic expert has already . Additional hearings on traffic are planned for future installments of the hearing.

The following is a Letter to the Editor of Mahwah Patch:

I am writing this letter to bring to your attention a serious issue we have pertaining to traffic. The northern section of Mahwah currently experiences severe traffic issues when [Routes] 287 and 17 North are backed up with traffic. This mainly occurs on Friday during rush hour, as well as on holiday weekends and during the summer months.  

With the possible creation of the Crossroads Town Center, my fear is that the traffic will only worsen. Drivers divert off of Route 17 North and cut through residential neighborhoods to gain easier access into New York. I strongly believe that this issue needs to be further reviewed prior to the creation of the Crossroads Town Center. I know I am not the only citizen concerned with this issue.  

Please take a few minutes to read a letter I submitted to the Mayor. He read my letter and [said he] welcomes any additional input from Mahwah citizens. When providing your comments, you do not need to provide your residential information; you are allowed to be anonymous.

In speaking with the Mayor I learned of two options for contacting him; his email as well as Mahwah Facebook page. The Mayor's email is wlaforet@mahwahtwp.org. The Mahwah NJ Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/mahwahnj

The following letter was sent to the township's municipal offices:

My name is Maureen Kayal and I [live in West Mahwah]. I am writing this letter to express my concern with the potential Crossroads Town Center to be created at the existing Sheraton Crossroads. My neighborhood is directly behind the location and we currently experience increased traffic in our neighborhood whenever traffic builds up on Route 287 or Route 17 North. This typically occurs on Fridays during rush hour traffic, and increases in volume during the summer months and on holiday weekends.

Vehicles driving into New York use our neighborhood, specifically Meadow Avenue, as a cut-through into New York. There are days when we have witnessed cars driving in excess of 40 or 50 mph on a street that is a 25 mph street. My fear is this will only worsen with the increased volume of cars caused from the Crossroads Town Center. 

I know the new development will be a positive addition to Mahwah, but I respectfully request that further studies be conducted to analyze the potential traffic hazard in my neighborhood. Please analyze Route 202 and Meadow Avenue on Fridays during rush hour.

In addition I want to ensure that no access from the Crossroads Town Center will be created into our neighborhood. There is a condemned roadway now that has been blocked off at the base of Jersey Avenue.

Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns. In addition, thank you for always looking out for what is best for all Mahwah citizens.

Respectfully,

Maureen Kayal