MARGATE - The NJ Department of Transportation has awarded the city a $399,913 Safe Routes to Schools grant funded through the Federal Highway Administration to create safer walking and bicycling routes to the William H. Ross Elementary School and Eugene A. Tighe Middle School.
The areas from Fulton to Amherst Avenue and Huntington to Gladstone Avenue will be improved, according to a release. The plan includes improvements along the designated safe walking routes identified in the June 2015 School Travel Plan, which include Amherst, Huntington, Winchester and Monmouth avenues.
Pedestrian improvements were developed for the intersection of Fulton/N. Huntington, Amherst/N. Huntington, and Amherst/Gladstone. The intersections were identified as problematic in the Margate School Travel Plan due to their confusing geometry and lack of pedestrian safety elements. Each intersection is skewed with multiple legs and large turning radii that enable high speed vehicle turns.
The intersections lack pedestrian features such as crosswalks, curb ramps, and signage on most legs. The improvements are common across the three intersections and include traffic calming, visibility improvements, shortened crossing distances, high-visibility crosswalks and additional stop controls. The improvements will create a safer and more predictable environment for children walking to both schools and for the general public, the release stated. They will also improve crossing guard safety and management at the two intersections where crossing guards are located (Amherst/North Huntington and Amherst/Gladstone).
The city's three commissioners expressed support for the safety measures..
We will do our best to move this project forward quickly for the benefit of pedestrians and drivers in our community," Mayor Michael Becker said. "We share these roadways and we want them to be safe for everyone.
The city is accepting bids and will award a contract this summer.
