Support Petition To Widen Route 9 Through Dover

by Joseph A. Lypowy 7/19/05

After reading that Len Colica of Dover Township is distributing a petition demanding that Route 9 be dualized to the State of New Jersey, I can only say that I am in total agreement and would encourage all residents to sign it. As a former Chairman of the Dover Township Business Advisory Board, this is topic which is close to heart for me. Back in the late 1990’s local businessmen and members of the Business Advisory Council brought attention to the need for dualization on Route 9. With the help of Freeholder Joe Vicari, Senator Andy Ceisla, and former Dover Township Mayor Clarence “Bud” Aldrich, the State made a commitment to “fast track” a dualization project. Former Mayor Bud Aldrich spent a lot of time going to DOT meetings. Besides a commitment to do the work in about seven years, the State did do some widening improvements in Lakewood along Lakewood Lake.
After being assured that the widening project was in place, I was then very disappointed to hear that it was taken off the table shortly after the McGreevey Administration took power. It seems that the Codey Administration is continuing with the same neglect of Ocean County. There are reports that the Democrats are funneling funding for just about everything to the traditionally heavily Democratic areas. Partisan games is not the proper method to determine public works projects. People of all types of political persuasion drive along Route 9. Our local Democrat friends have to suffer just as much as do Independents and Republicans