Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Pedestrian Safety School Routes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parents press Somers Point for safer school routes; city says it applied for sidewalk grant
Summary
Parents asked the council for crossing guards, expanded bus service and pedestrian improvements for children who walk to Jordan Road School; City Engineer Snyder said the city applied for a roughly $350,000 state grant for sidewalks on East Landing Road and awaits a decision.
Parents from the Somers Point apartment complex and other residents told the City Council they are worried about children walking to school and asked the city to take short‑term and long‑term measures to reduce risk.
Leticia Nunez, who identified herself as a parent living at the Somers Point apartments on East Landing Road, told the council that many children walk to Jordan Road School because the school board does not provide transportation for all students. “The street they must walk on are extremely dangerous,” Nunez said, citing heavy morning traffic, limited sidewalks and no crossing guards.
In response, City Engineer Snyder said the city applied to the state for a pedestrian‑improvement grant for the south side of East Landing Road and that the request was for approximately $350,000. Snyder explained that the section has steep grades and will require retaining walls, so the work is more complex than a standard sidewalk installation. “We did apply for a grant from the state for that, for pedestrian improvements ... we applied for 350,000 for that,” Snyder said, and added that the city expects to hear back within about 30 days from the grant consultant.
Snyder also noted that the roadway is a county road and that any constructed improvements would need county approval. Council members and residents were told the city would pursue other funding opportunities if the state grant is not awarded.
Council members directed the resident who raised the issue to continue discussions with the school board about transportation policy; officials noted that decisions about school bus service come from the Board of Education, not the council. The council did not take formal action in the meeting, but staff said they will pursue grant funding and bring updates to future meetings.
Short‑term options raised during public comment included supervised pedestrian routes and placement of crossing guards; longer‑term options discussed by staff included grant‑funded sidewalks with retaining walls and county coordination for construction and approvals.
