Problematic bus stop may again be moved
So. River looks to get unruly riders away from Main St. church
BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer
Loitering, public urination and litter outside a South River church have prompted officials to consider moving the NJ Transit bus stop that has attracted those problems.

The bus stop was added last year in front of Conklin United Methodist Church at Gordon and Main streets. The Borough Council is leaning toward having the stop moved to a location in front of a former synagogue currently being used as a Spanishlanguage church.

The proposed location is less conducive to the problems being experienced at the Conklin church, according to Democratic borough Councilman Anthony Razzano, who attends service at Conklin and has observed the problems brought about by the bus stop.

"They physically block people from exiting that church on Sundays," Razzano said of patrons who wait for the NJ Transit bus to arrive.

The bus stop's former location was at the corner of Main and Obert streets. The borough had it moved due to the obstruction of traffic from bus patrons' bicycles being parked at parking meters in the business district.

Conklin United Methodist Church had no objections initially, but over time churchgoers found that some of the patrons who use the bus stop were urinating against the wall of the church, littering and sitting on the church steps after a service when people were exiting, Razzano said. The churchgoers have considered calling the police in order to have the stairs cleared of loiterers waiting for the bus on one occasion, he said.

Razzano also recounted one recent incident in which a bus rider came inside the Methodist church during a Sunday school program with children present. Staff and church attendees made the unknown man leave.

There is no bus shelter at the location, and there would not be one built at the new location either.

Razzano does not think the problems will be as bad at the proposed location.

"The structures are two totally different things," Razzano said. "This one is much less inviting to anyone. Sometimes, [bus patrons] just want to sit down."

The old synagogue has more space in front of it for those who use the bus stop, unlike the Methodist church, where people waiting for the bus often sit in front of the church's double doors, Razzano said. The former synagogue's entrance is set back further from the bus stop than the Methodist church.

The Borough Council will vote on an ordinance next month to move the bus stop west about 100 feet, Razzano said. The council unanimously introduced the ordinance Aug. 13.

Republican Borough Councilman Raymond Eppinger said moving the bus stop is not the solution.

"We don't seem to be solving the problem," Eppinger said. "We just seem to be moving it. Nobody has a real idea how we are going to stop the problem."

Eppinger voted in favor of the ordinance on first reading, but expressed reservations about the move in light of problems at the bus stop's former location in the area of Obert and Main streets.

"If we are moving it to make things better for patrons, the bus company and traffic flow, that is great," Eppinger said. "If we are moving it to move the problems up the street, what is the sense?"

Arthur Londensky, a former Democratic councilman, spoke during the public session of Monday's council meeting, saying the other church will likely experience the same problems that Conklin United Methodist Church is having with the bus stop. He added that the council would only wind up moving the bus stop again if it does not find a way to address the issues with the NJ Transit riders.

"How long do you think it is going to take for the new church to complain about people sitting on their property and urinating," Londensky said. "… What church are we moving to next?"

Razzano told the Sentinel he does not see it as moving the problem from one church to another.

"The Conklin Methodist Church is an open structure," Razzano said. "From the sidewalk, you can take one small step into the sanctuary. At the old synagogue, there is a wall and a series of steps.

"We are not shifting the problem, because of the physical structure," Razzano said. "The Methodist church is more vulnerable to this behavior."

The council will hear public discussion of the measure before it goes up for final adoption at the next regular meeting in the Criminal Justice Building on Main Street at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 10.