As a businessman he sees the county's growth as a boon, but said the infrastructure is being pushed to its limits. I think the growth is good for business. Come rush hour, the traffic is getting equally bad here as in South Plainfield. In Alexandria, which saw the biggest percentage increase of any municipality in Hunterdon County in the 1990s, balancing growth and the rural environment is accomplished with rules for things such as mandating that new homes are built on six-acre lots, said Township Committeeman Harry Fuerstenberger. In fact, support for such policies comes from those who moved in during the 1990s.
New people take pride in the community.
They move out here to escape the crowds, but they're bringing the crowds with them. Alexandria's population jumped 30.7 percent from 1990, when there were only 3,594 people in the rural community, to 4,698 in 2000. Fuerstenberger describes the town today as a bedroom community where everyone either owns a farm or is commuting to New York City, the pharmaceutical companies on Route 22, or the businesses along Interstate 287. The biggest impact in 10 years is on our schools. And the roads.