Wood-Ridge, New Jersey


Wood-Ridge is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 7,626, reflecting a decline of 18 from the 7,644 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 138 from the 7,506 counted in the 1990 Census.
Wood-Ridge was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on December 6, 1894, from portions of Bergen Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day. The borough was formed during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.097 square miles, including 1.097 square miles of land and <0.001 square miles of water.
The borough is bordered by the Bergen County municipalities of Hasbrouck Heights and Lodi to the north, Wallington to the west, Carlstadt to the south, and Moonachie to the east, along with South Hackensack.

Demographics

2010 Census

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $90,411 and the median family income was $95,972. Males had a median income of $64,658 versus $46,402 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $35,360. About 3.9% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
Same-sex couples headed 20 households in 2010, an increase from the 10 counted in 2000.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 7,644 people, 3,024 households, and 2,137 families residing in the borough. The population density was 6,958.5 people per square mile. There were 3,087 housing units at an average density of 2,810.2 per square mile. The racial makeup of the borough was 91.01% White, 0.84% African American, 0.08% Native American, 5.02% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.77% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.27% of the population.
There were 3,024 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.9% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 21.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $60,949, and the median income for a family was $72,500. Males had a median income of $48,309 versus $40,025 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,865. About 0.8% of families and 1.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.6% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Wood-Ridge is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 of 565 municipalities statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of a Mayor and a Borough Council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council is comprised of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The Borough form of government used by Wood-Ridge is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.
, the Mayor of Wood-Ridge is Democrat Paul Sarlo, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023; Sarlo also represents the district in the New Jersey Senate. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Philip D. Romero, Ezio I. Altamura, Dominick Azzolini, Catherine Cassidy, Joseph DiMarco and Edward Marino.
In September 2012, the Borough Council selected Phil Romero from a list of three candidates offered by the Democratic Municipal Committee to fill the vacant seat of Cosimo "Tom" Gonnella, who had resigned from office to accept a position with Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission after serving 16 years in office, which made him the longest-serving councilmember in borough history.

Federal, state and county representation

Wood-Ridge is located in the 9th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 36th state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 4,764 registered voters in Wood-Ridge, of which 1,405 were registered as Democrats, 844 were registered as Republicans and 2,513 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered to other parties. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 62.5% were registered to vote, including 79.6% of those ages 18 and over.
In the 2016 presidential election, Republican Donald Trump received 2,308 votes, ahead of Democrat Hillary Clinton with 2,120 votes and other candidates with 157 votes, among the 4,632 ballots cast by the borough's 5,952 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.8%. In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,028 votes, ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 1,777 votes and other candidates with 33 votes, among the 3,866 ballots cast by the borough's 5,085 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.0%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 2,073 votes, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,910 votes and other candidates with 32 votes, among the 4,046 ballots cast by the borough's 5,038 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.3%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 2,073 votes, ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,814 votes and other candidates with 28 votes, among the 3,932 ballots cast by the borough's 4,926 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.8%.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 57.3% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 41.7%, and other candidates with 1.1%, among the 2,777 ballots cast by the borough's 5,098 registered voters, for a turnout of 54.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,146 votes, ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 955 votes, Independent Chris Daggett with 93 votes and other candidates with 3 votes, among the 2,221 ballots cast by the borough's 4,263 registered voters, yielding a 52.1% turnout.

Education

Students in public school for pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade attend the schools of the Wood-Ridge School District. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,282 students and 98.0 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 13.1:1. Schools in the district are
Catherine E. Doyle Elementary School with 396 students in Pre-K through 3rd grade,
Wood-Ridge Intermediate School with 249 students in grades 4–6 and
Wood-Ridge High School with 583 students in grades 7–12.
With the opening of Wood-Ridge Intermediate School in September 2013 for grades 4–6, Doyle Elementary School was realigned to serve students through third grade, while the students in grades 7 and 8 who had attended Gretta R. Ostrovsky Middle School began attending Wood-Ridge Junior / Senior High School.
For ninth through twelfth grades, students from Moonachie attend Wood-Ridge High School, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Moonachie School District.
Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.
Our Lady of Assumption School, a Catholic school that served students in Kindergarten through 8th grade, was closed as of June 2010 by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark in the face of enrollment that had declined to 134 students in the school's final year.

Emergency services

Police

The Wood-Ridge Police Department provides emergency and protective services to the borough of Wood-Ridge, augmented in times of emergency by the Police Auxiliary. The WRPD consists of 24 officers, led by Chief John Korin.

Fire

The Wood-Ridge Fire Department is an all-volunteer fire department. The WRFD was organized in 1897 and consists of one Chief and two assistant chiefs. The department is staffed by 40 fully trained firefighters. The WRFD also provides emergency medical service to the borough. The WRFD utilizes three fire engines, a ladder truck, a heavy rescue vehicle and two ambulances.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Bergen County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Route 17 passes through Wood-Ridge.

Public transportation

Wood-Ridge is served by NJ Transit at the Wood-Ridge train station, located at Park Place East near the intersection with Route 17. The Pascack Valley Line offers service throughout the day in both directions, with service available seven days a week, operating north–south to Hoboken Terminal with connections via the Secaucus Junction transfer station to New Jersey Transit one-stop service to New York Penn Station and to other NJ Transit rail service. Connections are available at the Hoboken Terminal to other New Jersey Transit rail lines, the PATH train at the Hoboken PATH station, New York Waterways ferry service to the World Financial Center and other destinations and Hudson-Bergen Light Rail service.
The Wesmont station provides train service on the Bergen County Line. The station was approved in 2008 to be constructed in Wood-Ridge. The station serves a new residential development and was opened to the public in May 2016, after years of delays.
Wood-Ridge is also served by several NJ Transit bus routes. The 76 bus runs from Hackensack along Terrace Avenue through Wood-Ridge to Newark Penn Station. The 144, 145, 148, 163 and 164 buses run from various New Jersey terminals such as Midland Park and Hackensack along Valley Boulevard through Wood-Ridge to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Wood-Ridge include: