Council to Review New Bus Shelter Locations [Poll]

The Township Council will explore locations for bus shelters in town after a resident raised concerns about the location of one shelter on a section of Cedar Lane.

Art Vatsky, a Teaneck resident, has repeatedly called for a bus shelter at Cedar Lane’s Chestnut Avenue Plaza. New Jersey Transit is providing replacement shelters and installing new ones at the request of the township, however, the Chestnut Avenue location was not included.

Vatsky circulated a petition advocating for the Chestnut Avenue Plaza shelter, saying the area would be more appealing for shoppers and commuters.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, Councilman Elie Y. Katz said he would work to collect public input and review other possible locations for the shelter through a committee. Katz said he supported Vatsky’s idea and suggested installing the shelter despite recommendations from township officials.

A review by police, public works, the Cedar Lane Management Group and Township Manager William Broughton recommended against a Chestnut Avenue shelter.

"In the streetscape there are actually no shelters slated in that plan that was approved by council,” Broughton said. “It wasn't planned into the design at all."

Broughton said he worked with other officials in conducting an objective review of the location and there was no usage data available from New Jersey Transit.

Katz said the bus shelter issue was linked to larger concerns about Teaneck commuters.

"We are one of the largest commenting communities in Bergen County,” Katz said. "Teaneck has, unfortunately, done very little for the commuter community."

In addition to installing three new shelters on Cedar Lane, New Jersey Transit also plans to replace aging shelters around town.

Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, who attended the council meeting, said there was no per-year limit on shelters doled out by the transit agency. Weinberg and Mayor Mohammed Hameeduddin are expected to meet to discuss the number of shelters requested for Teaneck.

Some of the locations slated for new shelters include Garrison Avenue at Cedar Lane, and along Teaneck Road.