A pair of infamous intersections in Cherry Hill will get overdue upgrades in the coming months thanks to a pair of ordinances passed by council that cede the lands on which the construction will take place to the county.
During its March 8 public virtual meeting, the governing body unanimously approved on second reading the pieces of legislation that free up just over a half acre of land to create turning lanes as a way to counter vehicular accidents.
The largest grant was 0.3 of an acre at the junction of Evesham and Haddonfield-Berlin roads, where a right-turn-only lane will be created from the former onto the latter. Land from Woodcrest Country Club that touches both roadways will also be used for that purpose.
The smaller cut is 0.23 of an acre where Kresson and Brace roads meet, for another right-turn-only lane from the former to the latter.
Cherry Hill Police Chief William “Bud” Monaghan called that intersection “one of the most dangerous in town.” At council’s previous public meeting, on Feb. 22, Township Business Administrator Erin Patterson Gill said that 87 crashes were recorded at the intersection from 2014 to 2016, 60 percent of which were rear end collisions.
“Two very congested roadways bound to accidents, and this is a substantial improvement,” noted Council President David Fleisher.
Council additionally passed a resolution paving the way for a shared-services agreement with the board of education to reinstate a restorative practice disciplinary program known as Project Little Warriors at Cherry Hill High School West.
“This is an alternative to the traditional detention model in the high school,” Monaghan noted. “We have great cooperation with (West Principal Kwame) Dr. Morton and we’re able to go into year two, although it’s a compressed schedule, when kids start to repopulate the schools.”
The affirmative vote cleared $9,900 for the program. According to Monaghan, $2,500 arrived via a grant from Families Behind the Badge, $2,500 came in the form of a grant from Camden County, and the remaining $4,900 arrived from a federal confiscated funds account. The financial infusion is expected to carry the program through the remainder of the school year.
Project Little Warriors is an attempt to correct the disparity of minority students receiving more punishment and more stringent punishment than their peers. It is a partnership between township police and the school district, where a pair of contracted vendors try to determine underlying causes of behavior and address the situation outside of traditional detention.
“We’re excited to get into it this year, and we appreciate the cooperation of Cherry Hill West, the school district and Councilwoman (Carole) Roskoph, in her real life as student activities coordinator,” Monaghan added.
Roskoph called the continuation of the program “the perfect storm” of everyone working together and the perfect idea of how government can work in the community to make it better for everyone.
In other news:
- Council continued its recognition of those who won the county MLK Freedom Medal back in January, with a proclamation for Sue Quinn-Morris. Quinn-Morris has dedicated her service to veterans issues, particularly older vets and technology gaps..
- Michele Caffrey was introduced by Mayor Susan Shin Angulo as the township’s new public relations director.
- Council consented to a resolution authorizing an emergency contract for the replacement of the fuel lines between two above-ground fuel tanks and a fueling island. The contract was awarded to E.O. Habhegger, Co. Inc. of Hammonton. Increased corrosion in an underground pipe created an immediate need for remediation. Cost of the replacement was $115,249.06.
- The governing body also passed legislation authorizing the rejection of the sole bid presented to the township for landscaping maintenance at Cherry Hill Public Library.
