Although many people have expressed their opposition to permanently close South 3rd Avenue, and despite the resulting adverse impacts to the community, the Mayor and Council have resumed their efforts to do so.

In the announcement for the next Mayor and Council meeting on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, there is included an agenda item to give another contract to CME Engineering, for work related to the Boro's permit to the New Jersey Department of Transportation to achieve this goal.

You may recall that CME Engineering is partly owned by the Borough Engineer, Bruce Koch.  The Boro awards a number of projects to CME.

The link to the meeting details and the agenda can be found here.
https://local.nixle.com/alert/9473085/?sub_id=0

Agenda Item 14.h is resolution No. 6-22-155.  The reasons offered by the resolution for closing S.3rd Avenue is to create "a public gathering space".  It claims that the redevelopment plan identified this location as the "preferred location" for such a public plaza, yet several meetings ago, the mayor claimed that she did not know where the town square would be.

The resolution attempts to further justify itself by claiming that the "town tables" proved there is a need for this.  However, the town tables were rarely used, and were often empty.  And the Boro already has a public meeting place at the municipal lot next to the Reformed Church.  If you did not already know, several years ago, a $25000 grant was awarded to develop that lot for that very purpose - to create a public gathering place.

https://patch.com/new-jersey/newbrunswick/25k-grant-make-highland-park-farmers-market-town-square

The NJDOT process is basically a secret.  The only way we became aware of many of the details and who heads certain aspects of the process, is through making OPRA requests.  Direct requests for information are generally ignored or directed to make OPRA requests.  In one document obtained, the DOT commissioner wonders why one of the DOT staff members is responding to a citizen's email about the process.  Yet other records show that a member of the Highland Park Planning Board who advocates the closing of S.3rd, contacted the DOT with information about the petition in favor of the closings, and the DOT welcomed his comments and freely communicated with him.

There are still some steps in the process, including a public hearing that must be scheduled on an ordinance to approve the permanent closings.