By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
LONGPORT The borough is planning a project that will install sidewalks in certain areas located throughout the community to eliminate pedestrian obstacles and liability on the part of the municipality.
The engine driving this train is there are more visitors here than ever before, more pedestrians, children in strollers and wagons, and people with disabilities, Mayor Nicholas Russo said.
Borough officials noted that they have seen people have to step into the roadway to wheel their carts to the beach, which presents a public safety issue and liability concerns, Russo said previously.
According to Administrator A. Scott Porter, the borough identified areas that need sidewalks, but a few more were located. The list will be updated this week, he said.
Affected homeowners were notified by mail that sidewalks would be installed in the right-of-way at the rear of their properties or along areas where sidewalks currently do not exist.
Porter outlined the process for getting the work done. Once additional properties are on the list and property owners notified, the borough will get an estimate of the cost of construction.
Engineer Richard Carter said he is hoping to include the sidewalk installation as an alternate project when the borough goes out to bid for repaving a section of Atlantic Avenue after utilities are upgraded.
That will hopefully get us a better price for the taxpayers, Carter said.
The next step is to identify funding sources to help pay for the project, which could include applying for state grants or using funding remaining in existing bond ordinances, such as the one issued to develop a parking area at the end of Atlantic Avenue at Longport Point, which could be submitted to the NJ DEP for Green Acres funding, Carter said.
The borough would like to remove the broken pieces of concrete that were put along the bay after Hurricane Sandy. Previous plans included establishing parking for about six vehicles and creating a park-like setting where Atlantic Avenue dead-ends at Longport Point. However, the state is saying the sand beneath the concrete is a dune that needs to be preserved, he said.
Carter said the borough could allow its Public Works Department to use a backhoe to remove the concrete, and push the issue to get a response from the DEP, he said.
It's the perfect project for Green Acres funding, Carter said.
One resident spoke at the July 1 Borough Commission meeting asking several questions about how the project would affect homeowners, such as financial obligations, configuration of the sidewalks and what the borough will do about existing sprinkler systems and vegetation.
I have a sprinkler system and pine trees that will be affected, the homeowner said, asking if the borough was planning to meet with homeowners to discuss the issue.
Russo said the project would be fully paid for by the municipality and there would be no cost to homeowners.
As it is now, the zoning officer could require homeowners to install sidewalks, but we don't want to do that, he said.
The borough is surveying each property to determine if sprinklers need to be relocated or trees removed.
Once a concept plan is developed, we can mail it to the homeowners, Carter said.
If issues cannot be resolved individually and more than 10% of the affected homeowners have questions, the borough could hold a public meeting, he said.
The work would likely be done in fall or winter.
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