TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE APPROVES PREP FOR POST OFFICE DISRUPTIONS

Preparations for the disruption that will be created by the former Maplewood Village Post Office project continued with the Township Committee last Tuesday night approving a resolution to approve a temporary loading zone in front of Kings.

We reported on the loading zone two weeks ago, which will bar parking in the spaces in front of Kings on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. during the demolition and construction at the post office location.

The TC also directed Township Attorney Roger Desiderio to prepare resolutions for four other related changes for the next TC meeting. 

Those will include:

* Creating an alternate train station pick-up location on Durand Road.
* Creating free employee parking spaces in some village locations now limited to two-hour parking and merchant-only parking.
*Permitting more signage and murals/art work in the village to alleviate the eyesores of construction.
*Prohibiting delivery truck parking in the Ricalton Square parking lot for Kings and other local businesses during construction.

"Right now, you know that we have trucks that pull in there in the morning," Mayor Vic Deluca said. "We just are not going to be able to do that anymore, we have to prioritize parking spaces for customers and diners."

Those resolutions are expected to be voted on first reading at the next TC meeting on March 1.