NJDOT and bridge safety The Courier,July 17 Posted:07/22/08 To the Editor:
It certainly is interesting how the Commissioner of the NJDOT has defined urgency and danger. It is also interesting that depending upon the convenience of the situation, those definitions are prone to change.
In both federal and state court, the NJDOT characterizes the Highlands Bridge as a near death trap, unsafe and dangerous. Last year state and local officials used the tragic events in Minnesota to create a perception of danger and used that tragic event to create some minor hysteria over the safety of the Highlands Bridge.
Safety of our bridges and roads is the number one responsibility of the NJDOT and that responsibility should never be taken lightly or diminished.
However, to alleviate what the NJDOT describes as an unfair situation for area businesses, residents and tourists, the NJDOT has agreed to stop any further demolition until after the Fourth of July holiday.
The fact of the matter is the NJDOT has created a false façade regarding the true condition of the Highlands Bridge and has done everything possible, whether proper or not to destroy as much of the historic bridge as possible so to neutralize any finding of fact which might lawfully stop demolition. I can just hear it now, "But, Judge, your decision to save the historic Highlands Bridge is too late, we already knocked it down."
If the NJDOT was so concerned about the residents, businesses and tourists; construction planners would have been careful to maintain a schedule with no disruptions through this summer season. Moreover, if Kolluri was so concerned, he would have made sure that the process regarding the destruction of portion of a national landmark and issues such as forgery and misconduct would never have slithered its way into this project.
Clearly, Commissioner Kolluri only becomes concerned if and when an incident will reflect poorly on his boss – the governor. I'm just wondering what Senator Kean had to threaten Kolluri with in order for demolition to stop, even for a short period of time?
