Carson Woods keepers oppose new trail

April 28, 2005

To the editor:

We are residents of Lawrence Township and we oppose the Lawrence-Hopewell Trail (LHT) through Carson Road Woods. We hold this position not because we dislike bike trails or the people that use them. Nor do we oppose this trail because we wish to keep the public out of Carson Road Woods. We believe the LHT has been poorly planned, is an irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars, is inappropriate for the landscape, and will be of little use to our community.

Two weeks ago, a member of the LHT task force told a regional newspaper that 99 percent of people in Lawrence are thrilled to have this 20-mile bike path. We would like to see the survey upon which this assertion is based. It is the latest in a series of exaggerated claims compelling us to question the motives of those pushing the LHT on our community. We submit not that many people in this Township are even aware of the LHT; those who are have expressed overwhelming opposition to its construction through our community's natural areas.

We are among those who care for Carson Road Woods. Scores of our friends and neighbors have volunteered their time, money, and equipment to maintain Carson Road Woods. They have done so solely for the public's benefit and the satisfaction of community service. They have created, marked, and maintained five hiking trails; they have designed and produced brochures to raise public awareness and encourage the community to visit the woods; and they have held cleanup efforts to keep the preserve in its pristine condition. These are not activities of selfish people, but of those who care about their community and want residents everywhere to enjoy its beauty.

The LHT has been presented as a family-friendly, handicapped-accessible, high-quality recreational opportunity. We believe it is none of these things. Half of the LHT will run along existing roadways, including several county routes and a U.S. highway. In Carson Road Woods, the LHT will be routed nowhere near the existing parking lot; instead, to access this portion of the LHT, one must cross busy streets. During much of the day, and especially during rush hour, neither children nor the handicapped will be able to safely access the Carson Road Woods portion of the LHT.

Carson Road Woods in its present state offers a unique recreational opportunity and an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors in its undisturbed beauty. The addition of the LHT, at best, would provide a marginal benefit to the community and limited access to the preserve. We believe this is not worth the irreversible damage that would be done to one of our community's last undisturbed open spaces.

Ben Brickner
Belleview Terrace

Peter Christensen
Carter Road

Pat Clancy
Carson Road

Lauren Eder
Belleview Terrace

Bob Hunsicker
Carson Road

Sharon Miller
Carter Road

Mark Rudnick
Karena Lane

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