BOE to Relay Nursing Facility Traffic Concerns to Town Officials

Manchester's said on Wednesday that it will write township officials to note its concerns over traffic safety on roads near two schools should plans for a proposed skilled nursing facility on Route 571 move forward.

Opponents of the proposed $25 million facility asked the board at its August meeting to the Manchester Rehab Realty complex would have on bus safety along the county highway where and are located.

"After reviewing her concerns internally, we have decided to contact the township planning board," said Donald Webster, Board of Education president. "We're not going to make a specific objection to the planned nursing facility. However, we are going to express our concern about the increased volume of traffic on Route 571."

Webster said that the roadway has problems, including "chronic speeding" and crashes which have involved parents, school staff and students. 

The school board will send a letter to the zoning and planning boards asking that administrators be kept "in the loop," Webster said. 

The letter is meant to "remind [township officials] that we have two schools here with over 1,300 students, plus all of the buses, parents picking up their kids and our staff coming in here," he said. "So there is a general concern about the volume of traffic here."

Webster also said that the board holds concerns that construction projects in Jackson and Toms River could one day lead to increased traffic on Route 571.

Board members and Superintendent of Schools David Trethaway said that they plan to attend a portion of the township's zoning board meeting tonight after Back to School Night is held at Ridgeway Elementary School beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The zoning board in the auditorium of Manchester Township High School to hear further testimony and public comment on the skilled nursing facility application.

The application for the facility, which would be built at 3086 Ridgeway Rd., near the intersection of Routes 571 and 70, has  with those living nearby since it requires a variance as the land is zoned as residential.