Washington Avenue Pedestrian Corridor
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
MARGATE – City officials last week said they would meet with their planning and grant consultant to implement a goal in the city’s Master Plan that proposes developing a pedestrian corridor connecting two business districts.
According to Administrator Richard Deaney, a “think tank” meeting would be held Tuesday, June 14 with grant consultant James Rutala of Rutala and Associates of Linwood and several of the city’s department heads.
The purpose of the meeting is to set the stage for the city to apply for transportation grants that could fund streetscape improvements on Washington Avenue to create of connecting corridor between the Lucy the Elephant beachfront park to the Central Business District on Ventnor Avenue and the Waterfront Special District on Amherst Avenue.
The city’s Master Plan Update completed in May 2017, proposes a pedestrian corridor along the blocks between the two business districts that would include wider sidewalks and other pedestrian friendly amenities, such as street trees and lighting.
“We have an opportunity to apply for a specific program we might qualify for to undertake what’s in our Master Plan for what’s called the Washington Avenue corridor,” Deaney said. “The ultimate goal in the Master Plan is to do a link between the bay and the ocean, a pedestrian link, sidewalks, street trees, and so forth, tied in with the corner of Ventnor Avenue with the historic building we have, transportation at the bus stop and other aspects that can be tied in,” Deaney said.
Commissioner John Amodeo requested that school district officials be included in the meeting. The city was the recipient of Safe Routes to Schools funding to improve several intersections near the Eugene A. Tighe Middle School on Amherst Avenue, and additional funding may become available for similar improvements, he said.
One of the wish list items the district proposed in a recent capital bond request was for lighting around the school to improve security, he said.
Aspects of the pedestrian corridor plan could be included in future grants being made available to New Jersey municipalities through the Transportation Set Aside Program.
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