Striping of Atlantic Avenue is still underway.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
MARGATE Public officials are asking the motoring public to be patient as the striping for the Atlantic Avenue road diet is completed. There's still more striping work to do to ensure motorists fully understand the delineation of the roadway.
The road diet, which was funded through a NJ Dept. of Transportation grant, reduced the number of travel lanes from two in each direction to one in each direction with a center turn lane and widened bicycle lanes. The new configuration is designed to provide more room for cyclists and allow pedestrians to cross the road safely.
According to city engineer Ed Dennis Jr., the road diet may take some getting used to, but it is designed to ensure not only the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists, but also get everyone to their destination safely and without delay. However, there will be one additional change before the project is closed out.
The road is striped and functioning as intended but there are some finishing touches that need to be made, including finishing out core areas in the center turn lane and diagonal striping added in the buffer areas on either side of the bike lane, which will better delineate that that lane is separate from the drive lane. What also hasn't been completed is the timing of the signals, Dennis said June 3.
There will be a 10-second increase in the length of the green lights on Atlantic Avenue, which will maintain the level of service and allow the same volume of vehicles to pass over two lanes as when there were four lanes, he said.
Before the words bike lane were painted, motorists were driving in the bicycle lane.
Police Chief Matt Hankinson urged the public to be patient when driving the avenue.
He said that electronic signage at the entrances to the city at the Longport and Ventnor borders helped motorists understand they were approaching new traffic patterns. New electronic speed display signs will be installed to inform motorists of the 25-miles-per-hour speed limit.
The ultimate goal of slowing down traffic on Atlantic Avenue has been achieved, he said. Visibility is a lot better, and cars are moving and getting used to the new traffic pattern. With the new timing of the lights, we'll see an increased successful Atlantic Avenue moving forward.
Commissioner Maury Blumberg urged the city to get the lights timed as soon as possible to avoid a negative first impression of the new traffic patterns.
He also noted that he saw some motorists making right-hand turns off Atlantic Avenue using the bicycle lane, which is not allowed. As the town fills up with summertime visitors and parking spaces are all filled, the temptation to use the bicycle lane will be alleviated, Hankinson said.
Officials also cautioned bicyclists to follow the same rules of the road as motorists, advising them to always travel in the same direction as traffic and in a single file. State law requires bicyclists to follow the same rules of the road as vehicles.
Commissioner of Public Safety John Amodeo said there would be additional police patrols on Atlantic Avenue this summer.
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