| Author | Message | ||
     ReallyTrying Citizen Username: Reallytrying Post Number: 728 Registered: 1-2003  |
Just received an automated phone call from the township. It started off saying it was a"code red" message - so I thought, "omigod, what's wrong? something at school? what is it?" Turns out the call was to warn about paving -- PAVING -- on Valley Street starting on 6/9. Did they REALLY have to call this "code red" when it's about paving, fer god's sake? Call me reactionary, but that's ridiculous. Code red should be for true, life-threatening dangers, not for warning about driving inconveniences. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 7979 Registered: 5-2001  |
yeah - it freaked me out when my caller ID showed 911, too. | ||
| Virtual It Girl Citizen Username: Shh Post Number: 4580 Registered: 5-2001 |
I agree, it gave me a real pit in my stomach. Code red? I thought a kid ran off, there was a bomb scare...PAVING??? Nonetheless, I am glad to know. My caller id didn't show any number at all, just incoming call. | ||
| Hank Zona Supporter Username: Hankzona Post Number: 5674 Registered: 3-2002 |
caller ID # 1-999-911-9999 paving should be a Code Black although a scheduled two week paving job Monday to Friday from 9 to 5 on Valley St. will have a lot of folks seeing red (that's seeing red" not "seeing redY"), especially all the ones who said they had no idea it was going to happen. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5165 Registered: 9-2001  |
...give it up guys! Late last night at the TC meeting the members of the committee had a lot to say about the adverse effect this will have for locals. Issues as whether to pave during the day or at night, and especially as what would be best for everyone concerned. Clearly it is a high priority to make sure everyone in town gets the message. IMHO, this clearly is a "Code Red" message that needed to stress the importance of this disruption in travel for thousands of people who will be inconvienced during this period. Congrats to the TC for a job well done... | ||
| ReallyTrying Citizen Username: Reallytrying Post Number: 729 Registered: 1-2003 |
No, no, no - "code red" is for real emergencies -- things that need immediate attention at risk of life and limb: fires, bombings, and the like. Yeah, so our lives will be troubled in a minor way for a few days by the paving. This is not an emergency of any sort. It's an inconvenience, as you yourself said. Job POORLY done! | ||
| Virtual It Girl Citizen Username: Shh Post Number: 4581 Registered: 5-2001 |
Art, I agree it will be an inconvenience that needs to be publicized, but code red seems extreme. I like the whole automated phone message, but the intro should be more to the point. How about "Attention resident. VAlley Street Paving will begin Fri June 9, weather permitting, and continue until JUne 21." After they said code red I swear there was a pause that freaked me out! | ||
| MeAndTheBoys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 3941 Registered: 12-2004  |
Um, how come I never get these calls? | ||
| Hank Zona Supporter Username: Hankzona Post Number: 5675 Registered: 3-2002 |
maybe because the township doesnt want to get you all worried.  | ||
| MeAndTheBoys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 3942 Registered: 12-2004 |
How thoughtful. Could it be because I have a call blocking to keep out annoying telemarketers? | ||
| ReallyTrying Citizen Username: Reallytrying Post Number: 730 Registered: 1-2003 |
Maybe. The CallerID on my cell phone read 999-911-9999. | ||
| sac Supporter Username: Sac Post Number: 3477 Registered: 5-2001 |
I believe that "code red" is the name of the reverse 911 system that is used for these kinds of notifications. Perhaps they should change the lingo, but I think that any reverse 911 call we receive is going to have that announcement on it. It isn't a judgement regarding the nature of the announcement. I do believe it is justified to communicate the paving disruption, so if people really feel that the use of the term "code red" is inappropriate, someone needs to get the system changed. | ||
| breal Citizen Username: Breal Post Number: 925 Registered: 6-2002 |
I hope they keep using the system for stuff like this. I thought the message was helpful and will have a public safety benefit. | ||
| tom Citizen Username: Tom Post Number: 5068 Registered: 5-2001 |
How about the traditional, less alarming, and more descriptive "This is an important traffic announcement." What color would we use if it were an un-planned disruption with serious life-and-limb implications, what with "red" already used for general repaving? | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5167 Registered: 9-2001 |
...meaning machines, it seems everyone around here has to put some kind of meaning into everything. How about just stop thinking about yourselves all the time and for once think about us people who are color blind...  | ||
| Colleen Citizen Username: Cbroderick Post Number: 193 Registered: 7-2001  |
I thought something had happened with the "code red" opener, but I was glad to receive the heads up. | ||
| kap Citizen Username: Kap Post Number: 252 Registered: 5-2001 |
The Township purchased the Code Re service a couple of years ago as a tool for emergency preparedness. The service comes with a set number of calls included in the price. If memory serves me, I think that the number is enough calls to cover every phone in town 3 times. This is not to say that if we used all of our pre-paid allotment by, say, June that we could not use the service again. Rather, there would be an incremental per call charge for calls beyond those included in the annual fee. Kind of like a cell phone plan. The TC decided at the time of the purchase that there might be times that it would be prudent to use the system for non "life-threatening" situations. You may remeber last year when we used the system to inform certain neighborhoods that there would be spraying conducted to address a possible West Nile carrying mosquito problem. Earlier this week we were informed by Essex county that it would be repaving Valley Street starting tomorrow, June 9. As Valley is a county road MAplewood has no say in when the county schedules its maintenance work; even if it adversely impacts our town. At last night's TC meeting we discussed whether to request that the work be preformed at night to minimize traffic disruption. We unanamously decided, for a number of reasons, to let the work go on as scheduled (during daylight hours) and to notify the residents in the immediate affected area with the Code Red system. It was not the best idea to preface that message identifying the call as a "Code Red" call. Any future similar use of the system will not repeat that error. The Township offers its sincere apologies to anyone that may have been subject to undue stress as a result of today's call. kap | ||
| letters Citizen Username: Letters016 Post Number: 574 Registered: 5-2005  |
From the Township of Maplewood website, Code Red section, that all of you apparantly signed up for (just like me): "The CodeRED emergency notification system is a communication service available for emergency and non-emergency notifications. CodeRED employs intranet mapping capable of geographic targeting of calls, coupled with a telephone calling system capable of delivering a pre-recorded message directly to homes and businesses at the rate of up to 60,000 calls per hour. The system's main purpose is to notify citizens or groups of citizens in emergency situations; however the system has the ability to be used for non-emergency notifications as well." It states clearly that it can be used for NON-EMERGENCIES twice. | ||
| johnny Citizen Username: Johnny Post Number: 1633 Registered: 5-2001 |
Sounds like a giant waste of money. Valley St in Maplewood is in good shape. No need to pave this year, typical county b---s---. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5175 Registered: 9-2001 |
...sure, wait until it's not safe to use anymore. Damned if you do, damned if you don't! | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 5321 Registered: 1-2004  |
At least Maplewood warned its residents. South ORange didn't bother when Ridgewood was being paved. Or Scotland come to think of it... And when that bear was loose you would have thought with the kids waiting for the buses the reverse 911 would have been used. | ||
| sac Supporter Username: Sac Post Number: 3482 Registered: 5-2001 |
Thanks Ken! | ||
| Duncan Supporter Username: Duncanrogers Post Number: 6495 Registered: 12-2001  |
The problem is that we have been fed a steady diet of Code colors as it applies to terrorism. So I completely understand the apprehension of receiving a phone call stating "code red". After all we just bombed that idiot in Iraq all the way up to his 72 virgins, so the timing, at the very least, was poor. While I understand that it is a MAJOR project and will impact 1000's of drivers, I think there was a better way to get the word out. And yes, thanks for clearing it up Ken. | ||
| Wendy Supporter Username: Wendy Post Number: 2594 Registered: 5-2001 |
Thanks for the explanation Ken. I'm glad the TC will look into how these non-emergency announcements will be worded. As you know, context is everything. Since I wasn't at the meeting nor did I view it on TV, would you mind explaining the reasons that went into the decision to not request that the paving be done at night? If you can't feel you can do the discussion justice in a sentence or two, I'll call you or someone else on the TC to find out. Thanks. And congratulations, btw. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 7988 Registered: 5-2001 |
Ken - thanks. It was just a bit alarmist, that's all. To Shh's point, if I had kids in school, I probably would have passed out before it got to the "paving" portion of the message. I do appreciate the warning. As I sat on SA this morning, taking 20 minutes to get to 78w, at least I knew why. Although, condsidering that SA & Valley are two major routes, I'm not sure I agree with the decision to do the work during the day. A few years ago, when Millburn was paved, it was done at night. I do not recall any disruptions. I just hope that Essex County doesn't screw it up again. Remember a few years ago when the subcontractor hired for a portion of SA painted the wrong section on a weekend & there were wiggly yellow stripes all over SA by the library? | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5190 Registered: 9-2001 |
Greene, the converstion from Vic at the meeting Wednesday night was they screwed up SA when they paved it at night and had to do it over... | ||
| johnny Citizen Username: Johnny Post Number: 1635 Registered: 5-2001 |
Paving job of Springfield Ave was a major mess. And then the Town of Maplewood decided to rip up the sidewalks AFTER we paved. Sheer genius. | ||
| sac Supporter Username: Sac Post Number: 3491 Registered: 5-2001 |
I'm certainly seeing RED today with Valley Street closed right as parents are trying to walk or drive children to school and school buses can't even get to their stops. I called the town and the receptionist took note but didn't seem to know of any action being taken on the part of the town. She did give me phone numbers for the construction firm (973-256-2064) and the county engineer's office (973-324-2739). I called the construction company and the receptionist there said she would pass the concern to the job supervisor. I haven't called the county yet, but it probably wouldn't hurt if they got quite a few calls. I suggested that they should either work at night (best solution) or only work between 9:00 and 2:30 (school hours) or wait until school is out next week to lessen the inconvenience and danger to our school children and families and teachers. | ||
| Wendy Supporter Username: Wendy Post Number: 2609 Registered: 5-2001 |
I just called and left a message with the county engineer's office. I left my name and number and gave a detailed message regarding the poor timing as sac suggested. I aslo suggest others do the same. I don't think it would hurt to call our town engineer, etc. as well. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5196 Registered: 9-2001 |
Sac, you were well aware last Thursday this was going to happen. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. I think my message to some of you then is worth repeating.... "...give it up guys! Late last night at the TC meeting the members of the committee had a lot to say about the adverse effect this will have for locals. Issues as whether to pave during the day or at night, and especially as what would be best for everyone concerned. Clearly it is a high priority to make sure everyone in town gets the message. IMHO, this clearly is a "Code Red" message that needed to stress the importance of this disruption in travel for thousands of people who will be inconvienced during this period. Congrats to the TC for a job well done..." | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave  Post Number: 9852 Registered: 4-1997  |
Yeah, delaying until 9am would have been really inconvenient for construction crews. | ||
| Hank Zona Supporter Username: Hankzona Post Number: 5688 Registered: 3-2002 |
the message said the work would be between 9AM and 5PM if I recall correctly...it may be a first then where a roadcrew started working early. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5197 Registered: 9-2001 |
Yea, I agree, and planning ahead would have also been really inconvenient for some people! | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 8012 Registered: 5-2001 |
Art has a point. Just drop your kids off in front of their schools by 7:30a. Then you can head out for work early. Since the weather is supposed to be nice this week, you can tell them to hang out on the playground at school until after 5p & go pick them up. This way, no one will have to deal with road closures. I thought it was a particularly masterful stroke of genius that they waited this long and then started the work a week before school let out & morning traffic would be greatly lessened. So, who needs to plan ahead? | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5198 Registered: 9-2001 |
"So, who needs to plan ahead?"  | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 9854 Registered: 4-1997 |
Exactly. It's important to inconvenience thousands of people rather than a dozen or two. That's leadership. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5199 Registered: 9-2001 |
...you can make some people happy some of the time, but not all the people all the time! Now leadership is another story. Anyone want to try? | ||
| Hank Zona Supporter Username: Hankzona Post Number: 5691 Registered: 3-2002 |
I wont try, Art...as much as Id like to have a discussion on leadership, I dont see much of it, and what leading may be happening gets consistently overshadowed by political strategizing. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5200 Registered: 9-2001 |
Good point Hank, however, I have to run now so I don't have time to give you my views on leadership. I'm sure there will be plenty to say about it by the time I get back... | ||
| sac Supporter Username: Sac Post Number: 3492 Registered: 5-2001 |
I wasn't "well aware" that it would gridlock the entire section of town between the park/country club area and Springfield Avenue, bringing both Springfield Avenue and Prospect Street to nearly a dead stop. In the case of SA, the backups extended all the way from the Vaux Hall area to Boyden Avenue at least for awhile. Traffic was snarled up around Tuscan, Seth Boyden and Maplewood Middle Schools. I don't know about others, but I expect it will be migrating toward CHS and South Orange, if it hasn't gotten there yet. I certainly expected slowdowns, but that expectation didn't extend to having vehicles (especially school buses) unable to even get to their appointed rounds. Also, I think that my post as well as my various phone calls were all constructive and suggesting reasonable (better) alternatives to what is taking place today. Of course, the people on the other ends of the phone lines are the only ones who could really judge those conversations. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5205 Registered: 9-2001 |
"I think that my post as well as my various phone calls were all constructive..." There you go, thank you Sac, I'm sure it was. Now that's the kind of leadership I'm talking about Hank... | ||
| Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 11800 Registered: 5-2001 |
If the County had decided to do the work at night there would be a thread here complaining about the noise keeping people from sleeping. | ||
| Lou Citizen Username: Flf Post Number: 180 Registered: 8-2005 |
Funny how I live in Maplewood too but never got a phone call warning me! Also, I find it interesting how Valley St, that barely had any holes needs to be paved more then Boyden, that since I moved to Maplewood (2,5years ago) haven't been paved once and the whole Street is a mess! | ||
| sac Supporter Username: Sac Post Number: 3501 Registered: 5-2001 |
I noticed today (as I was avoiding Valley Street) that Dunnell Road between Jefferson and Oakland is also a big mess! But Valley Street is a county road, so it is a whole different cast of characters and schedule than most of the others in town. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5206 Registered: 9-2001 |
Lou, you will be pleased to know that Boyden Avenue is already scheduled this year to be paved from one end to the other... | ||
| Lou Citizen Username: Flf Post Number: 182 Registered: 8-2005 |
Oh that's good to know! Thank you for the information. I have to say that it is about time! | ||
| ess Citizen Username: Ess Post Number: 2262 Registered: 11-2001  |
Yes, perhaps it would have been a good idea to notify everyone in town. However: 1) I didn't get any sort of phone call, perhaps because I have unknown call blocking (this would also explain why I never got any sort of call about spraying mosquitos). 2) Calling from a "911" number seems unnecessary and excessive. How about a call from a non-911 or non-blocked number so everyone could receive it and no one would be alarmed? And really, as others have suggested, the timing stinks. Postponing this until next week wouldn't have really had an effect on the construction, but it would have been a hell of a lot more convenient for those of us who have to get children to and from school. | ||
| Duncan Supporter Username: Duncanrogers Post Number: 6540 Registered: 12-2001 |
I saw the signs going up on Wed evening at 5:30 that the paving would take place on Thurs and Fri on Valley around the high school and the Y. I consider myself a pretty well informed citizen, but I didn't know about this stretch of paving before seeing the signs going up Wed night. What ever the county was thinking doing this during the last week of school is beyond me. Its finals week and the regular school schedule is in flux cause some kids have finals for only part of the day so , in fact, there is more traffic around Parker and Valley this week than most other weeks of the school year. Oh well. If it were done when tis done then twere well it were done quickly. | ||
| cody Citizen Username: Cody Post Number: 1022 Registered: 5-2001 |
I live near the Maplewood Municipal building, and didn't get a call about the Valley Street work. Springfield Avenue is also a major mess right now because of the work being done around the new police station. They've added a bumpout right at Tuscan St (I think that's the street - it's the one by the car dealership). Before, there were two lanes, so right-turning traffic had a lane and traffic proceeding down Springfield Avenue towards Newark had a lane. Now, there is just one lane, which backs traffic up all the way back to the next traffic light. As no one ever leaves the intersection clear, it makes it impossible for cars waiting in that turn just before the Library to make a left onto Springfield even when they clearly have the green light. The other morning I had to wait for 2 lights to change before I could safely turn onto Springfield heading east. I'd like to find the wiz who designed this one!  | ||
| letters Citizen Username: Letters016 Post Number: 575 Registered: 5-2005 |
I think the whole SA thing sucks. It used to be a 4 lane road until some genius decided that by making it two lanes (three with a turning lane) it would slow traffic down so people would notice the stores there and hopefully shop there. At least this was the explanation I was given. So what we have now is traffic at a standstill at any given time of the day so we get to see the latest nail salon/pizza joint/still empty gas stations/latest business selling stuff I have no interest in/near empty restaurants/empty buildings. You can almost never make a left turn at any time and using SA to go somewhere has become something to avoid. Gee, looks like a local version of "mission accomplished". | ||
| george H Citizen Username: Georgieboy Post Number: 227 Registered: 8-2005 |
Much to my regret,I feel that SA will probably not become more than it is now,a way to get to 78 from Newark/Irv. I hope I'm wrong,but given the increase in traffic,whether were talking Rt. 22,24,78,10,or the GSP,only serves to make the roads thru centers of towns more of a convienence,rather than a destination,given the superstore/mall mentality that pervades the burbs. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 8097 Registered: 5-2001 |
I'm very happy to see the small islands of businesses on SA that were not around when we moved here. I wish them continued success and growth. But there is insufficient parking and one of the main results has been an increase on the residential streets for people by-passing the mess. I counted 12 cars within 3 minutes of each other passing my house cutting from Elmwood over to Tuscan one day last week. These are winding, residential streets with lots of young kids and a park. I've come to the comclusion that environmental impact work done for SA was incomplete and insufficient. | ||
| ReallyTrying Citizen Username: Reallytrying Post Number: 738 Registered: 1-2003 |
Hey, Letters, I respectfully disagree. We now have a much more attractive road with new businesses. And you can actually cross the road safely now. Two more things: How did the Code Red system get my cell phone number? I don't give that to anyone outside of my family and staff. Second, it seems to me that the road work on Valley St. is proceeding from Union toward S.O. Anyone know if S.O. is next? I guess I could just call town hall, but that's too easy. | ||
| papayagirl Citizen Username: Papayagirl Post Number: 571 Registered: 6-2002  |
Back to the Valley issue, i was happy to see that a lot of progress was made between yesterday and today, but our commute to the train station this morning was ridiculous! We normally take millburn ave to valley, and at one point, it seemed like every possible way to get to the train station was detoured. I was literally running up the hill to make the train as the last people filtered through the doors because i unexpectedly had to park somehere that's nowhere near where i normally do. It sounds like a lot of the decisions on who to notify and when, and how to perform the work and when are being made at the last minute. If that's the nature of the beast, then fine. But the communication has been really poor. A sign at the train station with what to expect would've been helpful. I never received a code red, and I still have no idea what route i'll need to take to work tomorrow. Can someone post status/schedule updates here on MOL or on the town's official website? Similar to the njtransit.com alerts (and i never thought i'd be pointing anyone there as an example of something done right!)? Or if the technology won't support it, how about a phone # that you can call for daily detour updates? It just worries me that the town's site shows Tuscan Rd (which i live off of) as well as my own street as being slated for resurfacing as well, and this is going to be an ongoing problem all summer long. |
