Photo by John Soltes

By Chris Neidenberg / Reporter

EAST RUTHERFORD (July 29, 2010, 4:25 p.m.) — In a development that at least caught some borough officials "off-guard," the state moved recently to finally erect an approximate 800-foot long guardrail parallel to Riggin Field, off Route 17 South, ending a frustrating delay lasting well over two years.

"According to one of our engineers, the guide rail was installed Thursday evening (July 22) at Route 17 and Riggin Field," Fran McCrory, state Department of Transportation spokeswoman, stated in an e-mail to The Leader.

Her short statement ends a long journey that, according to Councilman Jeffrey Lahullier, lasted about five years.

It started after a car accident, which resulted when the driver somehow lost control and crashed through a fence from the state highway. Fortunately, no one on the field was hurt.

In addition to hosting football and baseball contests for Henry P. Becton Regional High School, Riggin Field serves as a venue for the East Rutherford Little League and other youth recreation activities. Part of the new barrier is right near some Little League sites.

The issue received much attention in early 2008, when the DOT mistakenly led municipal officials to believe the metal barrier would be put up that February, following discussions between the state and then-councilman, Gary Viccaro.

At that time, McCrory told The Leader "a miscommunication" between two DOT divisions ultimately led to the department's shelving the project to a later time.

She explained then that some workers did not know the department had already scheduled a highway widening project near the site that spring.

McCrory added the situation required the DOT to incorporate the guardrail initiative — originally estimated to cost $40,000 — into the bigger widening project. The DOT then led borough officials to believe it would initiate the project that May — at the project's start.

As it turned out, nothing happened for another 26 months.

In a separate e-mail, department spokesman Tim Greeley explained recently that a decision was made to post the guardrail near the job's conclusion.

The massive undertaking also entailed widening other nearby intersections on Route 17 South, including in Hasbrouck Heights.

"The guide rail in question was added to our Route 17 Bergen County Intersection Project," Greeley wrote. "At that point, the timing of the guide rail installation needed to conform with the project's construction staging effort, as outlined in the project's construction contract documents.  More specifically, the staging called for the guide rail to be installed toward the end of the project."

"In addition to that timing, work at the Route 17 and Union Avenue intersection — the location of the subject guide rail, was placed toward the end of the contract," he added.

Yet Mayor James Cassella, Lahullier and Department of Public Works Superintendent Alan DeRosa were not initially aware that the project was finished.

"I was very surprised to suddenly see the guardrail there myself," DeRosa stated in an e-mail.

Cassella and Lahullier only learned of completion upon being contacted by The Leader.

In a phone interview, Cassella still expressed some frustration with the department's conduct.

"If indeed the guardrail is up, I'm just happy to see it resolved," he said. "It provides a needed extra level of protection for our children. I still think it took much too long."

In 2008, the mayor expressed a desire to see the task done before the start of Little League.

"As it turned out, two Little League seasons passed before anything was ultimately done," Cassella said. "The department is such a large bureaucracy, with too many divisions. When you have such a needlessly large bureaucracy, this is what can happen."

Lahulier agreed the wait was excessive. Yet he did thank the DOT for finishing the project.

"This was truly a group effort, which also included Gary Viccaro, Alan DeRosa and (state) Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-36)," he said. "It should not have taken over five years, but I am truly thrilled it has finally been installed."

"The East Rutherford Little League, including all the players, coaches and parents, can also rest easy knowing that that guardrail is in place," he said. "Our children's safety should always be our first concern."

Viccaro preferred not dwelling on the past.

"The key thing is, the department got the job done and their efforts are appreciated," he said. "And I'm sure Councilman Lahullier worked very hard in trying to get it finished. It turned out to be a matter of scheduling."

Yet DeRosa's comments indeed suggested there was a lack of communication, such as on the borough's desire to install an interim barrier.

"We never did get to install the temporary guardrail because we could not get permission from the DOT," the superintendent stated. "They said they would have to review plans first, which they never did — or at least they never told us they did."

"Since a 13-foot section of the Route 17 shoulder was closed to through-traffic during most of the project ... there was no critical need to install any guide rail during that period," Greeley wrote.

Call Chris at 201-438-8700