June 4 marked the 25th annual National Trails Day. On this day the Monmouth County Park System dedicated the southern extension of the Henry Hudson Trail, from Freehold to Matawan. Only the portion from Freehold to Marlboro will be officially open; work continues on the section north to Matawan.

Ten years ago, Wally Tunison — owner of the Bicycle Hub of Marlboro — and I formed the nonprofit Monmouth Heritage Trail Inc. (MHT). MHT’s mission would be to promote a rail trail along NJ Transit’s long-unused Freehold-to-Matawan branch rail line.

The park system already had this 11-mile corridor on its master trails plan. Then, when MHT discovered that NJ Transit planned to demolish the 450-foot-long trestle over Lake Matawan, we launched a campaign to save the historic structure.

We got support from local mayors, freeholders, the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection, and even the governor. And NJ Transit did spare the trestle. Our action encouraged the park system to fast-track the proposed bikeway. NJ Transit granted the county a 20-year lease to the railroad right of way, and the woodchips began to fly.

It has been a challenge — and ultimately rewarding — to see how county officials and MHT members have worked to change opinions of homeowners next to or near the old rail line. Yes, some people feared a “crime spree.” Others loudly protested an invasion of their privacy. A few threatened lawsuits to stop the project. Even a cargo container briefly blocked the former rail line.

Not everyone is smiling — yet. But when I rode the bike path recently, I passed several backyards where the homeowners — who had put up protective and privacy fencing — had also installed lockable gates that opened onto the bike path, so they could go for a quiet, relaxing ride or walk along the long, quiet stretches of blacktop.

And yet, there are those who advocate replacing the county estimated $2 million investment in a nonreplaceable recreational resource. And for what?

For a rail line that would send a dozen diesel-engine trains up and down the tracks every morning and every evening, sounding their horns at nearly two dozen road crossings and tying up automobile traffic as they pass, causing air pollution, noise pollution, and traffic tie-ups morning and night as commuters clog station parking lots.

NJ Transit estimates about 11,000 riders would use the line. The Monmouth County Park System estimates annually some 145,000 people visit the Henry Hudson Trail from Aberdeen to Atlantic Highlands, including scores of children who “commute” to school every day.

If the Freehold-to-Matawan route is so desirable, why has NJ Transit rejected it three times in the last decade, and now concedes its own ridership projection may be flawed? Yes, everyone wants rail service to help reduce auto traffic, and yes, nobody wants a rail line in their backyard.

If you want to keep the rail line out of our backyards, get on your bike or take a hike along our brand-new bike path, and then tell all your friends how great it is. Do it today.

J. Wandres

co-founder and

past president of

Monmouth Heritage Trail

Aberdeen

Board of Education must back up its words

The Upper Freehold Regional School Board has a unique opportunity on June 15 to back their words up with action. They will be appointing a new school board member to replace a member who moved out of the area. The community spoke loud and clear at the school board elections this spring that they want change. As a result of those elections, many of the Board of Education members have been talking about “bringing the community together” and “including the entire community” in future school board issues.

Well, now you have the unique opportunity to prove to the community that you are willing to back up those words with actions. Show us that you are willing to put aside personal politics. Rewarding your friends with this appointment would not be a positive move.

If you truly want the entire community involved, you can prove it June 15. Respecting the entire community allows that community to be involved in the process rather than having their voice be heard only in the voting booth.

John Nanni

Upper Freehold

‘Rail route would be too expensive in capital costs’

I want to offer some comments regarding the proposals to build a new rail line to serve the growing areas of western Monmouth and parts of Ocean counties as well as more general transportation issues affecting the state. I believe all three potential rail routes would be too expensive in both capital costs and annual operating expenses relative to the number of likely daily riders. Do we really want to spend another $700 million-$900 million to build this rail line, plus $30 million-$45 million in annual operating costs to run it?

The single most helpful project — which would require significant federal help because of its cost — would be a second railroad tunnel into New York Penn Station. The one existing tunnel was built in 1910 and is at or near capacity during rush hour. A second tunnel could significantly increase capacity and be built large enough to handle double-decker rail cars.

A second bottleneck could be alleviated by building parking garages near railroad stations in as many towns with parking shortages as will allow these facilities to be built. The permits could be priced high enough to easily cover the operating cost of the garage and make a contribution toward the rest of NJ Transit’s operating budget.

Tolls could be raised on the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike and/or the gas tax could be increased to provide a more adequate revenue stream to support a good, well-maintained transportation network.

As technology makes it possible for ever more jobs in our information and service economy to be performed at home — at least some of the time — businesses could make better use of the technology by allowing more work to be done off-site. If a person with such a job could do it at home even one day every two weeks, that would reduce his or her commuting trips by 10 percent. There is substantial potential to both unclog the roads and save energy — and cost — if the business community embraced this.

As the roads unclog, commuters from western Monmouth and Ocean counties could be served more efficiently and less expensively with enhanced bus service or they could drive to an existing train station once it increased parking capacity enough to ensure there would be an available space when they got there.

A couple of small ideas to improve traffic flow and safety on local roads are:

•Include left-turn signals with traffic lights at intersections with left-turn-only lanes

•Install large overhead street signs at major intersections so people who are not familiar with the area can more easily figure out where they are and be in the correct lane, and

•Install the newer devices at pedestrian crosswalks — especially in larger cities and towns — that count down how many seconds are left to safely cross before the light changes.

Admittedly, none of these small ideas are as glamorous as building a new road or bridge, but they will probably improve traffic flow and maybe even save lives.

Barry Carol

Aberdeen

Fort Monmouth jobs not transferable

It makes absolutely no sense that Fort Monmouth is on the list of base closings released by the Pentagon.

The fort serves as a key and strategic part of the war on terror. Fort Monmouth leads the way in expanding communication among our forces, which leads to greater success in the battlefield. Furthermore, Fort Monmouth provides an economic boost to the county and the state. The jobs lost would not easily be transferable either to other Army bases or another sector.

For all of the reasons stated above I hope the fort will be one of the 15 percent or so of bases that are on the list, but don’t eventually get closed.

Steven M. Clayton

committeeman

Monmouth County Democratic Committee

Ocean Township

Let’s get politicians working for the people of the state

Oh, it is so easy to say, “Cut state and local spending.” OK, let us cut 10 or 15 percent across the board. Education, roads, services to the poor, sick and elderly. Take away many benefits from the state employees and do not go after the millions upon millions that New Jersyans owe, or try to hide from the state and counties. By the way, do you know that in our state there are about 200 enclaves called boroughs? They are basically based on personal snobbery, costly in the millions and of little value.

Yes, there are many ways where we can either get more for the dollar spent, make changes in our spending by forcing joint large purchases, school designs, where deviations are paid by local taxpayers, greater purchase of hybrid cars, and to get more involved by government in the use and making of renewable energy.

There are so many ways that we can help ourselves, but one has to stop complaining, and stand up, speak loud and clear to the politicos, who usually have their hearing aid in the off position. Work as our representatives, not as a politico. Every day we see a few more in handcuffs. The time has arrived. Either you listen and do an honest job, or get out.

Milton M. Itell

Lakewood

Be a Peeping Tom for horseshoe crabs

Want to help find spawning horseshoe crabs? The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has put out a call for volunteers to help identify horseshoe crab spawning habitat this spring.

New Jersey’s Delaware Bay beaches are the main spawning, or egg-laying, grounds for the world’s largest concentration of horseshoe crabs.

This year, the state Division of Fish and Wildlife is looking for current, personal observations of spawning activity. It’s all part of an effort to protect the horseshoe crabs and their habitat

Why all the fuss about horseshoe crabs?

Horseshoe crabs have been around for 250 million years. Their primitive body structure has withstood the test of time. Their thick curved shell makes it hard for predators to eat them. And they’re tough! They can go a year without eating and can endure extreme temperatures and salinity.

Their eggs provide food for at least nine species of migrating shorebirds. The Delaware Bay has the Western Hemisphere’s second largest spring shorebird migration – and has attracted a $34 million ecotourism industry in Cape May and Cumberland counties alone.

But there is cause for alarm. Long-term research shows that horseshoe crab concentrations along the Delaware Bay beaches have declined significantly. One reason is overharvesting of adult horseshoe crabs as bait for eel, whelk and conk.

To preserve the crabs and crab eggs, several mid-Atlantic states, including New Jersey, have now limited the crab harvest.

A severe decline in crab eggs means the future of these migrating birds is at stake.

For instance, red knots must gain 80 grams, nearly doubling their body weight while feeding in the Delaware Bayshore, in order to reach their arctic nesting grounds and be capable of laying eggs.

You’ll find horseshoe crabs moving onto sandy beaches to mate and spawn. Areas that are protected from waves are particularly popular, like sandy beach areas within bays and coves. If you come across mating horseshoe crabs, you’ve found a spawning ground!

If you want to help with this spring’s survey, your best chance to find activity is from a few days before to a few days after the June 22 full moon.

You can report your observations by filling out a “Horseshoe Crab Spawning Habitat Identification Form” at the Division’s Web site. You can also call their toll free phone number, 1-866-NJ-CATCH (1-866-652-2824); just be sure to leave your name and telephone number so someone can reach you.

Michele S. Byers

executive director

New Jersey Conservation Foundation

Far Hills