Alternatives to Bike Path on Railroad Avenue

To the Editor: 
Cape May County Open Space Planning Board and Middle Township Committee want to build a bike path along a stretch of Railroad Avenue that will negatively impact several homes, particularly those just south of Route 47. Residents impacted by the proposal are asking that consideration of the impact on property values and aesthetics of these homes be taken into account. Residents are concerned that it is a case of government doing as they wish in spite of valid objections.
Atlantic City Electric (ACE) owns 50 feet of ground that borders homes where the township and county want to build a bike path, 50 feet toward the homes from the edge of the road’s shoulder.  Owners of the homes, built in the 1950s, have paid a license fee to the electric company to be able to have driveways to access Railroad Avenue. For 60 years, property owners have paid the license fee and insurance and have maintained ACE property that borders their homes. There have never been any issues with homeowners about these lease agreements. Now, just because ACE is giving bike path rights to our government, it doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. Residents are simply asking the township and county to consider other viable solutions than what has been proposed, or simply not build a bike path in that section of Railroad Avenue.
One alternative is to specify bike lanes; bike lanes have been acceptable in many areas in the county. A section along Route 109 to the ferry has a bike lane rather than a bike path and this is acceptable, but a bike lane for a short stretch on Railroad Avenue is not acceptable.  This is a double standard about what is acceptable. There are many other areas in the county where there are bike lanes on the shoulders of roads. 
Another option is to build the path/lanes on the ground between the utility poles and the shoulder of the road. There is sufficient space, 12 feet, to do this, but the county and township’s plan is to put a bike path on the other side of the utility poles on the ground toward homes. This plan greatly impacts the front of homes that have been there for 50 to 60 years.  Knowing how their plan impacts homeowners, it seems the right thing to do would be to plan an alternative that would still achieve a biking path and not have a negative impact on homes in the area of concern. This is a common sense alternative.
Residents need our government officials to be flexible in the planning of the biking system. Residents need our government officials to consider the negative impact on homes in that section of Railroad Avenue. The impact on homes that have been in that section for over 60 years should be important. Is this government using people’s tax dollars to do as they wish?  
The plan for a biking system is part of the Open Space and Farmland Preservation. Residents also say that it appears that the county and township are using a very liberal interpretation of “open space.” 
At two public Middle Township Committee meetings, homeowners have voiced their objections and hope township committee and county freeholders are sensitive to homeowners’ concerns. Township Committee has said they understand residents’ objections, but will they be understanding enough to do the right thing? The right thing is not putting a bike path so close to homes, or not building a bike path in that area.  
Residents and concerned citizens can attend township committee meetings to voice their concerns.