July 6, 2003: Bill Heyers Comments • • •

Ocean County Politics .com

* * To The Editor * *

Bill Heyer Says:

"Look For A Cessation From Dover's Gridlock Traffic Problems When Six Of Your Best Friends Get Together And Take You By The Handles"

Commentator Bill Heyer Says Committeeman Mike Fiure’s “Blue Ribbon Panel” Plan To Fix Regional And Dover Township Traffic Problems Is The Equivalent Of “Misery Loves Company”

Dover traffic woes not solved by panels.

I had a good laugh when I read John Hazard's June 19 article, "Fiure Creates Regional Traffic Solutions," After years of politicians of both party stripes telling us at election time, "We can solve Dover's traffic woes," the best they can do to back up their campaign promises is the formation of another "blue ribbon panel."

In other words, put Dover's gridlock traffic problems on the old back burner, because nobody on this Township Committee has the wisdom, know-how and fortitude to properly address them. The next time you're stuck, going nowhere fast, at anyone of Dover's ubiquitous traffic problem spots, take comfort from Fiure's words, "TraffIc problems are not unique to Dover Township."

Fiure seems to be saying, misery likes company. Fiure goes on to say, "(Traffic problems) don't begin or end at our borders and the solutions won't either. Treating it as a Dover problem would be a disservice to our residents."

Oh, really? And we're just now arriving at this momentous conclusion in the year 2003, when the population of Dover is nearing the 100,000 mark?

What were our political leaders thinking of, therefore, back in the "good old days" of 1963, 1973, 1983 - or even 1993? I know: Just plow the streets free of snow in the wintertime, collect garbage and leaves at regular intervals and - whatever you do - keep the taxes low.

In other words, voters have short memories.

If I get the gist of Fiure's observations right, we're going to be looking at truly massive traffic congestion problems through most of this decade, and maybe the next couple of decades, as well.

In other words, look for a cessation from Dover's gridlock traffic problems when six of your best friends get together and take you by the handles I'm talking in death, "the great equalizer," brother, and not a day sooner!

BILL HEYER Toms River