The Hammonton Gazette 01/07/15 Edition | Page 4

Mayor: Triathlon course will have far less impact on town Wednesday, January 7, 2015 • The Hammonton Gazette • Page 3 TRIAThLON, from Page 1 and Blueberry Festival being on the same day as well, the course was tweaked weeks later. Mayor Stephen DiDonato said the course will go through a threeor four- mile stretch of town, with less impact overall, as Route 54, including downtown Hammonton, and the White Horse Pike (Route 30), are two of the major thorough- fares that won’t be affected this time. Hammonton’s Route 206, Nesco Road, Columbia Road, airport Road and a small portion of Middle Road will remain part of the course, but measures are being taken to eliminate potential traffic concerns and impact for the local growers. “at that point it will go out of town. The main issue last year was Route 30 and Route 206. So, we took care of that issue and the people will have to provide one lane on Colombia [Road], so farmers can deliver the product, naturally, and on Route 206 they are going to use the majority of the shoulder. So, honestly with the shoulder, one lane on Colombia and Middle Roads, where there isn’t a major residential impact, i don’t think it will be an issue at all this year. i think it is going to be a non-issue. Other than the intersections, that will be about it,” DiDonato said. DiDonato said this year that 98 percent of the residents won’t notice the bike portion of the triathlon coming through parts of town unless they are in the sections mentioned. “it will not impede or impact traffic at all around town, going through or leaving the blueberry festival or anywhere else people want to travel to that day,” DiDonato said. according to DiDonato, in addition to the route change during this year’s Challenge atlantic City triathlon, the portion of bike course that will come through Hammonton will only be for the professional bikers who will do the 112-mile course. For the 56-mile bike course, it will only go as far west as the Fifth and Seventh avenue section of egg Harbor City. “There won’t be the volume of DiMeglio Septic, Est. 197 R