East Hanover Deemed a Car-Dependent Town

If you live near the East Hanover Municipal Building, congratulate yourself. You live in one of the few parts of town that is pedestrian-friendly.

However, most residents are not that lucky. And for those people, a car is required to get through a typical day, making the township a "car-dependent" community.

WalkScore.com, a website that helps its users identify some of the most walker-friendly communities in the country, finds East Hanover to be more geared toward motorists more than pedestrians. The website scored East Hanover at 48 out of 100 for walkability.

"Most errands require a car," the website said.

The ranking indicates that restaurants, schools and shops are fairly spread apart. Along Route 10 there are almost no sidewalks, making it difficult and dangerous for pedestrians, and few crosswalks.

Hanover Park High School, located just off of Route 10, sits adjacent to both residential and commercial neighborhoods. Still, any residents living north of the state road have a hard time crossing, making cars a much safer and necessary way to travel.

East Hanover also lacks a few key things needed in every day life, things that neighboring towns have--things such as a grocery store.

Still, for elementary school students, the township can be a great place to live and go to school. The Central School and Middle School are located in the heart of "downtown," where there are shops, restaurants, nail salons and other staples of small-town life.