City engineer: pedestrian refuge island signage, Garfield Avenue water-main work to continue through fall

City Engineer Snyder updated the Somers Point City Council on a series of pedestrian and water-infrastructure projects, saying crews will add signage and pavement markings to improve safety at a recently installed pedestrian refuge island and that New Jersey American Water will perform an extended water-main installation on Garfield Avenue.

Snyder said the pedestrian refuge island on Buffalo/Shore Road (installed per a county Shorebird corridor study) is intended to give pedestrians a safe midpoint to wait while crossing; the city will add signage and repaint markings to reduce driver confusion. "That island was recommended by the county ... so there's an island there for them to safely wait for traffic to go by," Snyder said.

On utilities, Snyder said New Jersey American Water will begin work next week on Garfield Avenue and will store pipe and equipment on the avenue during construction because nearby streets are narrow. "That will be going all fall," he said, and the company expects to continue work from Wilmot to Pleasant Avenue in spring. Snyder said the utility company plans to double the size of the water mains to improve pressure and connect the side streets; the road will be repaved after construction.

Snyder also noted a pedestrian improvements contract required a time extension because of material delays and a county road-opening permit; no additional cost to the city was reported for that extension.

The council asked for more precise timing; Snyder said the spring work would occur "March, April before Memorial Day." No final construction schedule for all segments was adopted at the meeting.