Letters Residents must be aware of the tricks of traffic studies I read with interest your article on Old Bridge’s request for a traffic study on Route 516 (“Council Asks for Traffic Review on Route 516,” Suburban, Sept. 9). I know nothing about the politics within the Township Council, but I strongly support the request. I am one of the Matawan residents opposed to the enormous, sprawling developments planned near the border of our two towns. They will truly distort our communities and seriously affect the traffic on Route 516 and all other roads in the area. Even a quick look at the numbers of anticipated cars during rush hour will show you that these hundreds of new residents will join the rest of us proceeding snail-like over roads designed for half the traffic they currently carry. I urge Old Bridge citizens to inform themselves and make noise. For those not aware of the tricks of the traffic engineering study, here are a few that should be caught and squashed. • Traffic studies leave out some of the heaviest travel hours. If they stop counting at 6 p.m., they miss more than half of the commuters. • The reports assign letter grades (“A” through “E” — why no “F” for failing?) to traffic conditions on a road section. This is too abstract. Instead, they should show the additional amount of time needed to go from one point to another if the development is approved. Even better would be to multiply that lost time by the number of people who lose it thousands of hours a year. • The reports only show the effects on the immediate vicinity. For example, the Aberdeen Forge report does not show how Route 34, already a jaw-clenching, knuckle-whitening crawl, will be brought to its knees. • Worst of all, developers get to show you the effect of only their project. Citizens should be able to assess all the proposed developments at the same time, since they all will be affecting our quality of life. How many construction sites are there on Route 516 now? How many are proposed, or in the pipeline? Our local leaders were elected to serve our needs, not the needs of future neighbors or developers. I’m not opposed to new residents, good jobs and strong businesses, but the balance has shifted too far away from the best interests of today’s citizens. Jim Tobias Matawan Grateful to those who came to her mother’s assistance On Tuesday, Sept. 6, my mother, Mary Lis, fell on Washington Road in Sayreville and fractured her shoulder. To the two gentlemen in a van, and Kim the nurse, all of whom were kind enough to stop and help, as well as to Officer Frank Wortley of the Sayreville Police Department, and Stanley Pilch and John Szurlej of the Sayreville First Aid Squad, I extend a heartfelt thank you. You kept my mother calm and comforted her. God bless you for your compassion. Rosemarie Prusakowski Sayreville New Jersey must protect, not kill, its wildlife For all those urban folk that moved from an overdeveloped area to escape congestion and the effects thereof on their quality of life, the expectation that all other previous inhabitants should move out to make room for them is self-serving, shortsighted and unrealistic. Bears inhabited New Jersey long before the relocation of those fleeing urban sprawl. What will be the next species that encroaches on residential dwellings and deemed by fish and wildlife to be a nuisance? Perhaps the blue jay will be considered too noisy for the peace and solace of suburbia. The Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife would reap overwhelming revenues for issuing voluminous permits to hunt blue jays. One cannot expect an agency subsidized by fees for hunting permits and fishing licenses to be objective when establishing best management policies/practices for those that are hunted and fished. For human habitation in New Jersey to remain desirable, a balance must be struck to preserve, conserve and protect our vanishing natural resources. Wildlife is a byproduct of and are vital inhabitants for our natural resources. The conservation/preservation of and bonding for open space are popular and promoted by elected officials and those that seek public office. Not all open space must and/or should be destined for soccer fields, golf courses, associated recreational pursuits and commercial use. Areas kept in their natural state are the best bang for the taxpayers’ buck to keep our air and water safe and sound and our taxes down. Wildlife is key to keeping nature’s balance in a natural area. Ursula Goetz executive director Monmouth County SPCA Eatontown