| Author | Message | ||
     Squeaky Wheel Citizen Username: Squeaky_wheel Post Number: 16 Registered: 9-2003 |
Please join us for a peaceful protest against New Jersey Transit. Date: Monday December 29th and Tuesday December 30th 2003. Location: Intersection of Boyden and Irvington Avenues. Times: (1) 3:45pm – 6:00pm (2) 5:45pm – 8:00pm We are protesting New Jersey Transit’s use of Boyden Avenue as a shortcut to access its routes north of the Hilton Garage on Springfield Avenue. NJ Transit’s official statistic for Boyden Avenue is 953 one-way bus trips per week. During the rush hours of 4 – 8 am and 4 – 8 pm, these buses average 15-20 per hour. This December, several neighbors met with NJ Transit to discuss this issue. NJ Transit’s position is that this “out of service” route saves NJ Transit ½ mile of distance and 5 minutes of travel time accessing their routes for the #1, #37 and #107 bus routes. Although there are county roads better designed to support this bus traffic, most of which are already on established routes, NJ Transit is unwilling to incur the additional cost and time of ½ mile and 5 minutes for each one-way bus trip. NJ Transit’s representative did admit that it is unusual to schedule a “non-revenue” street (a street without bus stops) such as Boyden Avenue for this amount of bus traffic. Things to consider: ·Wear warm clothes and walking shoes. ·Make signs to carry and wear. ·Anticipate media coverage. ·Our goal is to prevent buses returning from their routes from using Boyden Avenue. We will force the buses to use the pre-existing route streets to return to the garage. Contact information: Alison Griffin 973-275-0008  Searching for solutions to community problems. | ||
| Sylad Citizen Username: Sylad Post Number: 125 Registered: 6-2002 |
I am not taking sides, just offering advice, you probably should not use the NJT logo, especially since you altered it, on your signs. Unless they gave you permission. | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 534 Registered: 7-2003 |
If you alter it, it's no longer their logo right? | ||
| Sylad Citizen Username: Sylad Post Number: 127 Registered: 6-2002 |
Not sure, I am not a copyright lawyer. But probably not worth the risk. | ||
| Tom Reingold the prissy-pants Citizen Username: Noglider Post Number: 1541 Registered: 1-2003  |
Copyright includes the right to make (or prevent others from making) derivative works. Tom Reingold There is nothing | ||
| Dave Ross Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 6013 Registered: 4-1998  |
I don't see the logo on the sign anywhere. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 1903 Registered: 5-2001 |
Yeah- but even if NJT wants the protestors to cease and desist, they will most certainly end up on the news. Do they need additional bad neighbor publicity? They'll look even more like the big, bad corporation by ganging up on neighborhood residents who are only looking to preserve quality of life and safety for their children. I can't be there, but good luck! Five minutes and half a mile is ludicrous. If it's adding additional wear and tear on OUR streets, why can't the Town Council step in? Have there been any studies or statistics to show how this use affects the cost of maintaining the road? My taxes are high enough without paying for NJT to save 5 minutes & half a mile. | ||
| bobk Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 4150 Registered: 5-2001 |
I believe the TC has been negotiating with NJT on this, and have won some improvements with more to follow. The last thing NJT wants to do is give the protest wide publicity, which is what would happen if they sued over copywrite infringement. Heck we might even make CNN. | ||
| Squeaky Wheel Citizen Username: Squeaky_wheel Post Number: 17 Registered: 9-2003 |
For several years, the TC has tried to negotiate with NJT regarding the buses on Boyden Avenue. NJT insists that they have reduced bus traffic by 10%. However, most of the residents of Boyden Avenue agree that there continues to be a gradual increase in bus traffic on the avenue! NJ Transit has no interest in eliminating or significantly reducing bus traffic on Boyden Avenue, evidenced by their representatives at the meeting this December. Today, we protested against the NJ Transit buses at the intersection of Irvington and Boyden Avenues. Two of our protesters were arrested for civil disobedience. We need the support of Maplewood as a whole. This is not a neighborhood problem. It is a town problem. Please support us by joining us for Day 2 of the protest at the same intersection from 4pm - 8pm. Searching for solutions to community problems. | ||
| Martha Ransom Citizen Username: Virginiagirl Post Number: 1 Registered: 9-2003 |
Hi All, I'm one of two that were arrested during the protest. The charge was civil disobedience " obstructing passage of public transportaton " We were treated ver well by the arresting officers and was detained for about 45 minutes to 1 hour for processing. I live at Parker and Boyden and do experience distraction from the bus noise as I imagine some of our fellow neighbors do also. It would fare all of us well if we had better representation from more of us. I am not sure at this point how I feel about this arrest though I'm sure it will sink in soon..as we have to make an appearance in court Monday January 5th at 5:15 pm We did what we did in support of this community and I hope that my community will support us. | ||
| bobk Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 4169 Registered: 5-2001 |
Martha, welcome to MOL! If my technical skills allowed it I was going to post a picture of a woman being strapped into an electric chair and caption it; "Martha's Arraignment at the MPD". Luckily, my limited 'puter skills don't allow it.  Kidding aside, call the News Record, The Star Ledger, Channels, 2,4,5,7 and 11 and try to get some coverage. They all like pictures of people being led away in handcuffs at protests. Many of the editors remember the 60s. | ||
| mck Citizen Username: Mck Post Number: 631 Registered: 5-2001 |
I happened to catch the TC meeting last night. The women who were arrested (!) were eloquent and brave, and I salute them, and Alison and Art, for going out to tangle with NJ Transit. And the discussions and ideas that have come out of meetings with the TC Committee are encouraging. I trust that the new mayor and Committee will keep this going until relief is obtained for the residents of Boyden Avenue (that includes me). Note that we residents bought houses on Boyden knowing full well that we were getting good value for a reason. We all knew about the obvious and heavy conventional traffic, like that on Valley or Prospect or Ridgewood. But who thought to ask their real estate agent, by the way, does NJT send hundreds of out of service buses up and down the street every day belching noise and diesel exhaust ? Enough already. | ||
| tom Citizen Username: Tom Post Number: 1707 Registered: 5-2001 |
mck, you hit a extremely important point there. Unless we just happened to view our prospective houses during rush hour on a workday, we had no clue this was going on. When I first looked at this house the owner had all the windows sealed up, on a nice day, with storms fully in place. When I asked him why he didn't open up the windows for a little fresh air, he told me it was because he didn't like looking through screens! Martha -- thanks for putting yourself on the line for the community. If it comes down to a "Martha Ransom defense fund," let us know and we'll pitch in! | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2260 Registered: 9-2001 |
Thanks for the positive input. This issue has been around for several years, and it’s not just about the residents living along Boyden Avenue. This is about the way NJ Transit treats the whole town of Maplewood. Our problem appears to be unique within the state. NJ Transit sends a thousand buses a week, 24/7, 365 days a year, deadheading back and forth along Boyden Avenue, between Springfield and Irvington Avenues. This is a residential street where the management of NJ Transit directs all these non-revenue buses to take this short cut. The buses speed by Milo S. Borden Park, by the children walking to and from Seth Boyden, and by all the families and children who use the new skate park and community pool. All the noise and air pollution which unnecessarily affects thousands of residents, and could be avoided by adding a half mile and less than 5 minutes travel time to the buses using this route. In addition, NJ Transit is also getting over on us by their use of ten acres of our town’s property, and paying us peanuts compared to the real tax value due us. Thus far members of the township committee and the police department have been supportive through the process. This will be a long an arduous task to accomplish our goal of removing the buses from Boyden Avenue. Everyone involved in this protest doesn’t have to live on Boyden Avenue, so any additional support we can get from anyone will be helpful, especially to challenge the likes of NJ Transit. Please e-mail any of us if your interested in helping out... | ||
| Earlster Citizen Username: Earlster Post Number: 95 Registered: 8-2003 |
Do all the arrested have to appear in court at the same time? Maybe we can show support by showing up at the court house? Have a little peacefull and 'non-disobedient' demonstration. | ||
| romatc Citizen Username: Romatc Post Number: 10 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hello Again, This is Tom Colella from the corner house on Parker & Boyden Aves. Sorry I could not be at the Ban The Buses protest rally. Just got back from Colorado after burying my brother so I’m not up for much. Since there seems to be no consideration given to us by NJT for our plight maybe we should change our tactics. What if we all filed for a reduction of our property taxes due to quality of life issues? Do you think the town would sit up and take notice then if they thought it would hurt their pocketbook? I hear it is tougher but not sure about to get a reduction these days you need a lawyer to file and the reduction lasts for only one year. Anyway, I would like to thank my neighbors Alison Griffin (whom I’ve not met personally yet but plan to introduce myself soon) and Martha Ransom who I know very well. Martha, I didn’t know you were such a rebel, you go girl! | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2264 Registered: 9-2001 |
Good morning Tom, Eddie will be missed... To help bring you to date, the town supports our position and is working with us. As for our taxes, you're on the right track, however, an increase in NJ Transit taxes is the best way to help towards a reduction of “all” our property taxes in Maplewood. If possible, we all should get together on Sunday afternoon to plan what needs to be done for Sharon and Martha, and moving forward with the protest... | ||
| lseltzer Citizen Username: Lseltzer Post Number: 2023 Registered: 5-2001 |
Is anyone in this group complaining up the food chain, to state officials for instance? You really don't want to assume that the township has any legal recourse against NJT (unless the point of this is actually to complain about township government). New Jersey Department of Transportation The North Jersey Transportation Planning Agency Contact information for NJDOT | ||
| romatc Citizen Username: Romatc Post Number: 11 Registered: 6-2002 |
Thanks Artie! Lselter,In my original posting on this subject during last summer I contacted by email every agency you mentioned with a “Request a read receipt for all messages I send” and the only reply I got from them all was the receipt for the message read, that’s it! | ||
| lseltzer Citizen Username: Lseltzer Post Number: 2025 Registered: 5-2001 |
If all you did was e-mail them than you haven't done enough. If you're going to go to the trouble of getting arrested I think you need to write some letters (certified return-receipt) and maybe even visit an office or two. I'm very serious, if you're focusing on township government you're going about this the wrong way. |
