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Old Tappan council approves soft road closures and no‑parking for Country Squire Halloween
Summary
The Borough of Old Tappan approved a police‑recommended plan to soft‑close Country Squire and nearby streets for a limited period on Halloween, adding no‑parking signs beginning at 2 p.m. and a soft traffic closure roughly 3:30–6 p.m. to reduce child‑pedestrian risk while allowing resident access.
The Borough of Old Tappan Mayor and Council voted to implement a ‘soft’ closure of Country Squire and adjacent streets for Halloween, setting no‑parking signs starting at 2:00 p.m. and soft traffic closures from about 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., the council decided at its sine die meeting. The measure, presented as an option by the police and OEM, is intended to reduce the risk posed by heavy pedestrian traffic and parked vehicles in the Country Squire/Birchwood loop.
Councilwoman Donna Costello, who spoke in favor during council discussion, said she supports the plan because of safety concerns: “I am I am supportive of option number 1.” Residents who joined the meeting stressed similar safety arguments. Troy Parvin, a Country Squire resident, told the council, “It it really does come down to a safety issue,” and described years of children darting between parked cars. Several commenters suggested staging no‑parking signs earlier in the afternoon to improve sight lines and reduce crisscrossing between parked vehicles.
Council members discussed alternatives offered by police — a full closure, a partial closure with one‑sided parking restrictions, or parking limits only — and heard that the department recommended the soft closure as a balanced approach. After public comment and council discussion, a motion was made to adopt the police recommendation with the addition of no‑parking signage; the motion was seconded and approved by roll call. The presiding chair said residents will retain access to their driveways with officers present to facilitate entry and exit.
The council said it will notify residents in advance and work with the police department on precise signage locations and the final map for the loop. The council also asked the chief to evaluate whether the closure area should be adjusted to include additional short stretches of Birchwood if feasible. The council indicated the plan is for this Halloween only and will be reassessed in future years based on experience.
Provenance: topicintro — SEG 585 (S1: “Next on our, old business agenda is our Halloween discussion.”); topfinish — SEG 1760 (S1: “So it is decided.”).
