Baldpate Mountain “Improvements” – Update
Is additional car dependent public access worth the destruction?
Back in January, while hiking on Baldpate Mountain (Hopewell Township, Mercer County) I was shocked to come across a new access road and parking lot blasted through forest – an experience that prompted me to write this post (with pictures):
Pave paradise: Put up a parking lot http://blog.nj.com/njv_bill_wolfe/2008/01/pave_paradise_put_up_a_parking.html
Today I returned to the scene of the crime for some followup photos – scroll through and see the good, the bad and the ugly along my hike:
entrance is transformed, and not for the better
parking lot – too big and over-engineered
is additional car dependent access worth the destruction?
How long before they widen and pave this carriage trail?
Ugly new fences enclose and restrict access to meadow.
New turn-around circle to accommodate cars. More pavement and more meadow destroyed.
Thank goodness they can’t engineer the view.
bicyclists enjoy the day – there are miles of are awesome trails
miles of old carriage trails – lets hope these are never “improved” by the engineers
outbuildings – will they be restored or “managed” to reduce risks?
My kind of “rest stop” – set your butt on the rock and enjoy the views.
another new parking lot
over-engineered 22 foot+ wide access road to new parking lot
another new access road – more signs, more cars, more pavement.
Existing rural road just at new access road – less than 18 feet wide.
New access road, signs, and road width (>22 feet) over-engineered, ugly and out of character with rural context.
This is character and deign of rural roads just outside Baldpate.
adjacent rural character
This lovely historic home is directly across the road from the lower new parking lot. The “improvements” ignored this historic character
Categories: Family & kids, Hot topics, Policy watch, Politics
Bill: This may all be due to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Even if no one in a wheel chair ever wants to go there, they have to be able to if they want.
Bill: I am a wilderness advocate, but I think these improvements may be worthwhile. The buildings and grounds at this park have become so deteriorated that it may have become (& perhaps still is) an invitation to vandalism & vagrancy. In addition, insufficient parking access can lead to people parking wherever they can maneuver their SUV’s — over plants & vegetation, etc. So in this case I do feel the improvemnts are a good idea. Even though my “secret” park may no longer be a secret.
Bill: While leaving the park today I noticed the sign! You even have a picture of it at the top of your post.
BaldPLATE!! Nice.
Bill: While leaving the park today I noticed the sign! You even have a picture of it at the top of your post.
BaldPLATE!! Nice.
dby828 – HAHAHAAHAHAHAH!
I hadn’t noticed that!
And I thought I had terrible spelling!