Letter to the Editor: Shouldn't We Have a Fair Haven Bike Lane?

Dear Rumson-Fair Haven Patch,

Fair Haven is well known as one of the few towns left in Monmouth County where children are free to ride their bikes independently to and from school. An article just last year in the New York Times made mention of Fair Haven and its unique bike culture.  

In order to encourage safe biking I propose a bike lane on Fair Haven Rd. spanning between Third St. and Willow St, approximately 676 feet in length. For anyone that shuffles their children through the morning and afternoon commute to and from Sickles School, knows that this particular block of sidewalk is swamped with parents, students, dogs and doublewide strollers daily. Even with children walking their bikes on the sidewalk there is barely enough room to accommodate the traffic.

I realize parking is a serious problem in Fair Haven however; it is our opinion as parents and bike enthusiasts that the current spaces left available for parking along the sidewalk on Fair Haven Rd be converted into a bike lane.  Our children’s ability to ride their bikes safely to and from school is a large part of what makes Fair Haven such a fabulous place to raise a family, it’s the reason many families move here, it’s the reason I moved here.

We already promote safe biking working together to keep Third St open for bikers, when I tell people that Fair Haven closes Third St. down so kids can ride their bikes, they can’t believe it. My friends often joke that we live in a real life Mayberry. So let’s continue to promote the culture of biking with an actual bike lane.  Help support a bike lane for Fair Haven Road email your name and address to fairhavenbikelane@yahoo.com. 

Lets promote safe biking habits with a Fair Haven Bike Lane!

Casey Skarecki

Fairhavenbikelane.com