Lawrence official has own plan for bicycle trail

Krystal Knapp
The Trenton Times

August 28, 2003

LAWRENCE - A local official wants to see the proposed 20-mile bike trail that would loop through Hopewell and Lawrence rerouted entirely through a county park.

Township Councilman Rick Miller, the lone Republican on the council, has drafted an alternate route for the Lawrence Hopewell Trail through Mercer County Park Northwest and Rosedale Park and submitted his suggestions to county officials.

The route Miller proposes totally bypasses Carson Road Woods, which borders his own property and has been the most controversial portion of the trail. His plan also excludes the campuses of The Educational Testing Service and Bristol-Myers Squibb - the two corporations who are the major private sponsors for the project.

In a letter to Mercer County Executive Robert Prunetti, Miller criticized the original plan proposed by the Lawrence Hopewell Trail Task Force, saying the proposed trail would ruin the rural character of many roads and jeopardize the safety of bicyclists.

"The LHT plan as it exists is not suitable to any audience," Miller said. "It is not family-friendly, it is not handicapped-accessible and is not for true cyclists."

Miller said a loop through Mercer County Park Northwest would be family-friendly and safe.

"The trail would be totally off-road, making it safe for all walks of life - the handicapped, young children," Miller said. "It would be a safe biking environment for everyone."

"The other plan may be well-meaning," he said. "Instead of creating something that is haphazard, why not create a separate project that really fills a need?"

Miller said the Friends of Carson Road Woods has looked at alternative routes for the trail, but they all remain unsafe and use existing narrow and congested roadways. He said the park is larger than Central Park in New York City and could easily accommodate a six- to eight-mile bike trail.

But Councilwoman Pam Mount, a member of the trail task force, says Miller is missing the entire point.

"His proposal defeats the whole purpose of the plan, which is to make Lawrence and Hopewell more bicycle friendly and accessible for everyone," Mount said. "A loop through the park is a great idea, but it is no replacement for a 20-mile trail."

Miller still asserted that the original proposal is unsafe and is not put together well.

"I can't imagine families or serious bicyclists would use the trail as it is proposed," he said.

Democratic Mayor Greg Puliti questioned Miller's motives and said a process for discussing the trail is already in place. He said the plans for the trail are already being reviewed by the task force, with input from residents, and will also be reviewed at length by the council at a later date.

"People are concerned, both pro and con, and we want to take time to make sure everyone is heard," Puliti said. "Rick is very passionate about this issue. The proposed trail is in close proximity to his back yard. I don't know what his agenda is, but he is obviously getting political."

Miller said the fact that his property borders Carson Road Woods has nothing to do with his position.

"As a councilman it is my responsibility to look after residents' safety," he he said.

In response to a neighborhood meeting earlier this summer where people voiced concerns about the proposed trail, the township withdrew a grant application to the state to build a 10-foot-wide asphalt bike path through Carson Road Woods as part of the trail.

Trail organizers said path details would be ironed out with the residents in the coming months and said they planned to create a Web site and distribute reports about its monthly meetings and progress to the public.

"We are still waiting for the people who put the trail proposal together to come back with the residents concerns and other information," Puliti said. "I don't know why he can't just let the process take its normal course."

Miller said he is not trying to subvert the process, he is just being open about his proposal.