Security Concerns Could Close Part of a Road Around this Popular NJ Recreation Spot
By Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com | July 18, 2022
A winding, scenic part of Route 629 that parallels the shoreline of the Round Valley Reservoir in Clinton Township and Lebanon Borough and crosses a dam could be closed to vehicles, but remain open to pedestrians and cyclists if a New Jersey Water Supply Authority’s request is approved.
The authority made the request to two municipalities to support of the concept, which the Hunterdon County commissioners have the final decision on. Homeland security reasons were cited by the authority for the request to close Route 629 between Cherry Street and Old Mountain Road to just east of the driveway to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s “fish labs,” and near a parking lot for a boat ramp.
But residents are skeptical about the security reasons cited and said closing the road would force them to drive more than a mile out of their way. Residents debated the issue with the Clinton Township Council last month and again on Wednesday.
Mayor Brian Mullay said Clinton Township officials haven’t made a decision on if they will endorse the authority’s request. Hunterdon County has the final decision because Route 629 is a county road.
He told residents on Wednesday that the council was not supporting or opposing the request, needing more information from the authority, and that a letter from the township would include residents’ concerns. He is also drafting a letter to residents explaining the issue.
“The reason for the request is to improve dam safety (security),” said Marc B. Brooks, Water Supply Authority executive director. “Failure of any of the three Round Valley dams would have catastrophic impacts on downstream residents and water supply to over 1.5 million people in Central New Jersey.”
At issue is the Round Valley Dike, which Route 629 crosses, and is the only one of the three damns that permits unrestricted vehicular access. Restricting vehicular access has only been made as an “informal proposal,” he said. It is the only earthen dam in the state with a road crossing over it, officials said.
A site-specific study was performed by the DEP’s Bureau of Dam Safety, the Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which recommended consideration of restricting vehicular access to the dike, Brooks said.
“Due to security concerns, we cannot share the specifics of the study in a public forum,” he said.
Authority officials discussed the idea informally with the Hunterdon County director of public works/engineer, who suggested that the authority make a formal request to the county, with letters of support from Clinton Township and Lebanon Borough as that section of Route 629 passes through both municipalities, Brooks said.
The authority made formal requests to each municipality on June 10, seeking to permanently close that section of Route 629 to vehicular traffic while leaving it open to pedestrians and bicycles, he said.
Route 629 has been temporarily closed for reservoir construction since 2020, and residents who live along it access the road from the Lebanon Borough end, Mullay said. He told residents that additional public hearings about the issue would be held by the county Board of Commissioners.
Residents who spoke at the Clinton council meeting on Wednesday said they were skeptical about the homeland security reasons given by water supply officials, and that closing the road would be inconvenient.
“You don’t understand how frustrated we are on Old Mountain Road,” said resident Mark Blrashedy. “Twice I had to rush my wife to hospital, she couldn’t wait for an ambulance, that was the road I used. If they (the authority) tell you we’re in danger for terrorism, there is nothing a car can do that a boat can’t or a guy with a vial to poison the water.”
Several residents, who identified themselves as retired police officers, questioned why law enforcement isn’t involved if there is a security threat.
“There are so many reasons to keep it open, but the Water Supply Authority isn’t law enforcement,” said Robert Quinlan, who identified himself as a retired police chief. “There are a number of law enforcement agencies that use it, local police, State Police, state park Rangers, county sheriffs and New Jersey Transit police.”
At a minimum, if there was a specific security threat, Quinlan said he’d like to have a law enforcement agency announce they were investigating it.
“If there were a credible threat, that entire place would be closed, this is pure fear mongering,” said Robert MacNamara, who also identified himself as a retired police officer. “There’s something fishy going on at Round Valley. This homeland security threat isn’t going to fly.”
Another woman asked what would the authority would need to do to keep the road open, but improve reservoir security. One Old Mountain Road resident told the council he was in favor of the idea.
“It’s not safe for kids, it had been a commuter cut through to Route 31, out-of-towners speed through on weekends,” said Matt Brino. “There are upsides to converting it to a dedicated pedestrian walkway you might want to consider.”
Making it a pedestrian and bikes only road might require additional approval from the state Department of Transportation.
“If a municipality or county wishes to permanently close a roadway to vehicular traffic, but (have it) remain open to pedestrians and bicyclists, the jurisdictional owner would have to follow the process to get NJDOT approval for a pedestrian mall,” said Stephen Schapiro, a DOT spokesperson.
That process includes passing an ordinance, and forward it to the NJDOT Bureau of Traffic Engineering and follow other state laws regulating creation of a pedestrian mall.
Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com.