Road that seems like a country lane does not need fixing
Ever since Union Hill Road was "upgraded" at the park-and-ride commuter lot, I had been thinking that someone would mistakenly believe that the portion of the road between the commuter lot and Tennent Road would need some sort of work.

Now my worst fear has been realized in the article in the July 9 News Transcript ("Marlboro Seeks State Funds to Improve Township Roads").

This beautiful stretch of Union Hill Road, which is probably one of the last country-type lanes left in Marlboro, is now scheduled to be realigned, widened, straightened and repaved into something entirely different.

There is absolutely no need to foolishly spend $1.4 million on this project when there are numerous roads in Marlboro that are in more desperate need of repair and/or resurfacing.

I drive a large school bus and have driven over Union Hill Road from Route 9 to Tennent Road hundreds of times, in good weather and bad, in snow, sleet, driving rain and in total darkness, and have never had a bit of trouble. As far as I know, there have been few if any accidents here.

I believe that probably 90 percent of the people who travel on this stretch of Union Hill Road do so at least once or twice a day and are totally familiar with its eccentricities.

The charm of the road is its curves, roadside banks, and trees that cover the road in most areas. It would be a shame to destroy this in the name of progress.

We local residents were promised back in the late 1980s, if memory serves, by Saul Hornik, the father of present Mayor Jonathan Hornik, that Union Hill Road would not be disturbed when discussions were under way for the building of Cambridge Square (shopping center at Route 9 and Union Hill Road), but apparently now all of that has been forgotten.

Stately old trees will probably be taken down and parts of roadside properties will most likely be used for this project. If sidewalks, crosswalks and handicap ramps, together with a continuous curb line and storm drains are necessary, I am sure that someone can figure out how to do this without greatly disturbing the road.

It's a shame that so much money needs to be spent on a project that is totally unnecessary.
Robert Boecking
Marlboro