Wanted: Full GSP Interchange

PETERSBURG – May 1 at the Upper Township Municipal Building, the municipality’s year-old Economic Development Commission organized a forum to take the pulse on community support for a full interchange at Exit 20 on the Garden State Parkway.
The idea of a full, on-off interchange has been a goal of the township and surrounding communities for over 40 years.
“We are all volunteers who live and work in Upper and want to serve the community through our work on the commission whose purpose is to retain and attract new business to the township,” said chairperson, Susan Adelizzi-Schmidt.
An introduction to the dialogue ensued. She mentioned that in a survey done six months ago among 10 priorities, all garnered support from residents.
Four emerged as most critical:
* Establish town centers in Marmora and Seaville with sewers.
* Improve bike/pedestrian routes.
* Improve signage and Upper’s branding.
* Promote and establish a full interchange at Exit 20.
The priority of the interchange received 90 percent support in the survey from over 300 respondents. While this was not a scientific sampling it gave an indication of the importance of this, she continued.
As a result of the survey, the commission is seeking to put into motion the elements necessary to get a full interchange at Exit 20.
“We’ve already received support from Sea Isle City, Sen. (Jeff) Van Drew (D-1st), and the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce. Ed Barr, Upper’s deputy mayor, and in the audience tonight, just informed me that Dennis, Woodbine, and Ocean City also would be passing resolutions in support as Upper did just last month,” said Adelizzi-Schmidt.
“Our purpose here tonight is to get feedback from the community that we can take to the (New Jersey) Turnpike Authority that supervises the Parkway.
“In this way, and the more feedback we get from vocal residents, the more of a positive impact we can have with the Turnpike Authority with whom we’ve made initial contact,” she said.
Meeting participants then had the opportunity to state their opinions and input. “I’ve lived in the township for 37 years, and I use Route 9 every day to get to work. Drivers are getting increasingly aggressive and speeding even at 6:30 a.m. It’s a two-lane road, and I guess they get frustrated that they cannot pass. I think having the full interchange is a great idea even if we would need to pay a toll,” said Alice Smith.
Other residents from around Upper echoed Smith’s comments. They cited improved safety for both Route 9 as well as Roosevelt Boulevard and even Stagecoach Road which is getting more congested with spillover traffic; enhanced access for local businesses to customers; better traffic flow for all; and increased ratables for the township as more commerce is supported by the full interchange.
Next steps, per the commission, is to take the input and support received from multiple sources to the Turnpike Authority and bring the full interchange to reality as the authority continues to make improvements to the southern portion of the parkway.
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.