Goodbye Independence

I've been meaning to mention how Independence Boulevard is slowly retreating from our daily lives in Elizabeth. (Would that it never entered!) Back in 1946 the city decided to cleave some decent neighborhoods with the abomination that would become Independence Boulevard. Many years later the ungainly behemoth was turned into a limited access freeway, more useful for Union County residents than those who live and suffer next to it. We were left with a relatively useless section of divided highway between 7th Street and downtown, kind of an impotent reminder of poor decisions of the past. But no more. In June, our slice of Independence history was quietly renamed Charlottetowne Avenue. I say good riddance.