Poll results: An average of C+, with a lot of A’s

At least half of the voters in our latest poll would grade Rahway’s redevelopment at a B or better, while almost 30 percent grade a D or worse. About 1 in 8 voters awarded it an “incomplete.” Check out the completely unscientific results:

How would you grade Rahway’s redevelopment?
A — 32 percent (22/68 votes)
B — 19 percent (13/68)
D — 16 percent (11/68)
F — 13 percent (9/68)
Inc – 11 percent (8/68)
C — 7 percent (5/68)

Remember, the poll can be easily manipulated by anyone without a life, so take it for what it’s worth. Polls are a fun part of the blog to break up some of the news and wonkiness of some of the topics, and generate some discussion. The latest poll didn’t seem to generate as much activity, with only 68 votes, compared to other recent polls that had nearly 100 votes or more.

Essentially half of you graded Rahway’s redevelopment as B or better. At the same time, just less than third of you graded it as D or worse. What’s considered average (a grade of C) garnered only 7 percent, however, if you average out all the grades (A=5, F=1, omitting “Incomplete”), the average is 3.47 — a solid C+. There’s just not much of a middle between those who graded B or better and those who gave a D or worse. About 1 in 8 gave redevelopment an incomplete; I included incomplete as a choice but really after 20-plus years, I’m not sure how redevelopment can still be considered “incomplete.”

One reader who awarded an incomplete grade noted “too many vacant lots downtown” and not enough retail other than nail salons, Chinese eateries and barber shops — something that I’ve found is not uncommon in many towns. They did praise the “many good places to eat,” describing Rahway as a dining destination. “Try to find a place to park on Friday night.”

Another reader shared by email that downtown is vastly improved since they moved to Rahway in 1989 (though they still gave it an “incomplete,” given the recession more still to be done.) As I mentioned in the earlier post, your grade likely depends greatly on what you’ve been exposed to and what you consider the window of redevelopment.

But the poll hasn’t generated much discussion in our comments section. Those of you who voted A or B, there must be something you didn’t like or would have change about redevelopment, no? And to those who voted a D or worse, there must be some aspect you like? If not, what would you have like to see done differently? And be realistic.

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3 thoughts on “Poll results: An average of C+, with a lot of A’s”

  1. without being redundant it gets an A. another idea, make cherry st a pedestrian mall, enclose it like Fremont St in Vegas, sound system n lights…it wouldn't be nearly as much as what Fremont cost. It would be an attraction in and of itself…

  2. I think one of the biggest problem with the redevelopment is the location of downtown. Due to its location people have to go and visit downtown Rahway unlike with other local areas: Metuchen, Cranford, Westfield which have a major high traffic road going right through their downtown bringing in more people accidentally. Things have been improving, I gave the redevelopment a B-C but the location of downtown Rahway is one of its largest problems. If the downtown was located directly off of St George then things would be moving along faster.

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