The light-oak courtroom in Millburn’s Town Hall was filled Wednesday night as citizens of Millburn and surrounding communities came out to support Millburn Township’s Bike Network Project. Mayor Sandy Haimoff opened the meeting by praising the efforts of all of those affiliated with the project. "We started this idea five years ago," she said, "but the wheels of government grind very slowly...To be where we are now is a great achievement." Grinning at the audience, Haimoff concluded, "Pretty soon, we’ll all be bicyclers."

After the laughter subsided, Project Manager Mark Gordon of Urbana Consulting took the floor and turned on the room’s large LCD display. "I’ve been working with the town on this project since last September," he said, opening PowerPoint on his connected laptop. "And the support that the town committee, town engineer and police department have given me makes this the best project possible."

Gordon -- aided by bullet points and pictures -- explained that Millburn’s Bike Network Project is in "phase-one development." Running his hand across a blown-up map, Gordon showed how the 1.5-mile bike route would start from Brookside Drive to Glen Avenue, and then connect to Ridgewood Road, Lackawanna Place and Millburn Avenue. The route would serve Millburn’s Central Business District and NJ Transit Station, and would pass by the South Mountain Reservation and three schools.

Changing the slide, Gordon detailed how the bike path would comply with state regulations. "We looked at other towns’ bike networks, such as Madison’s," he said, "and we came up with a system that would implement neon-green Share The Road signs, pavement markings, striped shoulders on Glen Avenue, through-lanes at intersections, and speed bumps [on bike-path affected roads] to slow traffic." He also stated that kiosks would be set up at the Library and local bike store, and that bicycle education would be taught at Millburn’s schools.

"Our next step," he said, "is to pinpoint the exact placement of these safety features, and then to prepare a cost estimate to present to the town committee." Gordon expressed that public input and suggestions were important to the project, and he asked the audience to voice their opinions. One Millburn citizen requested better maintenance on bike-route roads. "Last year I hit a pothole as I was riding my bike through Glen Avenue, and I broke two ribs because of it," he said. Town Engineer Thomas Watkinson stated that maintenance would be a priority on the bike network, and Gordon added that storm drains would be leveled.

Another citizen was worried that high-speed car traffic could intimidate cyclists from using the routes. "How can we get drivers to slow down?" he asked. Gordon explained that the town would strategically place the speed bumps where they are most necessary, and that the incline of the "bump" would increase on traffic-heavy roads. "The Millburn police department will also enforce the speed limit on the bike-route roads," Gordon added.

Other audience members congratulated the town on its "professionalism and dedication" towards the project. Citizens from nearby communities, such as Summit and Maplewood, stated that their townships were progressing with their own bike network projects, and that in the future the bike routes could connect.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Gordon asked all of the Millburn citizens in attendance to raise their hand if they were in favor of the phase-one bike route. Hands flew up in the air. "Does anyone object or abstain?" he asked, trying to hide a beaming smile. No one raised a hand.

Mayor Haimoff thanked everyone for participating and stated: "I feel confident that if this first step is passed, then the subsequential phases of the bike project will follow more quickly."

The Town Committee will vote on the phase-one project once the cost estimations are complete.  If approved, Gordon predicts the bike route to be ready by "late spring."

Town Committee member Daniel Baer started the Millburn Bike Network Project five years ago after talking with fellow cyclists and runners. According to Baer, the bike network is meant to provide Millburn residents with a "safe and healthy alternative to driving, while also reducing CO2 emissions and saving wear and tear on the roads."