Wednesday, August 13, 2003

Matthew Abraham walks up and down Valley Road in Long Hill every day for exercise. But the 72-year-old is becoming fearful of his daily stroll.

A portion of the main road has no sidewalk and cars whiz by close enough to clip the agile grandfather who, in 12 days, has gathered more than 700 signatures from neighbors also in favor of a walkway.

"I'm a regular walker and I find it extremely difficult to walk, especially in the winter when it's covered with snow," Abraham said. "There's hardly any space for walking."

Abraham plans to address the township council at its meeting at 7:30 tonight at town hall. He is proposing a sidewalk be constructed from the Berkeley Heights Bridge toward the Pathmark Shopping Center. Other people use the side of the road -- including rollerskaters, bicyclists and joggers -- that leads to the township's recreation and senior centers and is clogged by overgrown shrubs and branches, Abraham said.

There have been requests for maintenance along Valley Road before, but never for sidewalks, Township Mayor Suzanne Dapkins said, adding that some changes to the road are already in the works. The county has plans to realign the road with a new paint job, which if successful, would create more space along the side.

"We'd have to see what will happen with that (first). We try it out for six months and if that works, then there would be room for sidewalks. Maybe not on both sides, but definitely on the north side," Dapkins said. "The road needs to be paved and it needs drainage."

The township had the opportunity to have the entire road redone years ago, Dapkins said, but council members were split on the decision. At a council meeting two weeks ago, however, there were five votes in favor of improving the main thoroughfare.

Valley Road business owner Paresh Soni signed Abraham's petition Monday morning, and said the number of walkers passing by his store window increases in the summer. Soni owns Gillette Super Sales Liquor.

"A lot of people walk in the evenings because a lot are on vacation. They walk in the evenings and the mornings," Soni said. "It (a sidewalk) would be good because it's (now) unsafe."

The main hazard?

Fast cars.

Abraham's daughter-in-law, Beki Matthew, said that's why she stopped walking her 4-year-old son, Ethan, down Valley Road.

"The cars go by so quickly," Beki Matthew said. "It's (a sidewalk) a very good idea because my father walks everywhere, and that's good. We don't have to drive him."

Abraham lives with his daughter-in-law and son, Sam Matthew, on Laura Drive, just off Valley Road. He estimates he gets about 20 signatures an hour during the five- or six-hour days spent at the Pathmark Shopping Center and other venues asking for signatures.

As he works to get additional signatures, Abraham said he's talked to only one person who has objected to his solicitations.

Long Hill Superintendent Arthur DiBenedetto promised Abraham another slew of signatures in the fall from Gillette Elementary School parents concerned about their children walking along Valley Road. The school is on Central Avenue.

"I hope that the township would kindly protect the life of the people, especially the seniors and children who walk along the road," Abraham said. "I will press (the council) to get it done this year."