Engineering: DOT grant would widen Jackson Avenue by roughly 2 feet per side; residents worry about safety and loss of trees

Town engineers described a DOT grant proposal that would widen Jackson Avenue from about 32 feet to approximately 34–36 feet, on average adding roughly 2 feet to each side of the traveled way, as the council fielded strong resident concerns at its Sept. 23 work session.

Mr. Picariello of the township’s traffic division said the aim is to create two consistent through lanes (one in each direction) and to move parking closer to houses to reduce head-on weaving and improve school-related traffic flow. “The proposal that we had as part of the grant application was to widen the road from 32 foot to 34 to 36 foot, not impacting the existing sidewalk locations, but just widen the curb,” he told the council. Engineering staff said the design work so far used aerial mapping; final surveys and property-specific plans would be completed only if the grant is awarded and the project moves to detailed design.

Residents asked whether the widening would require taking private property; engineering responded that work would be within the public right-of-way and that the plan does not call for acquisition of private land. The rough estimate is about a 2-foot average take on each side, and the town said that driveway aprons and replanting (two trees removed in the draft plan) would be part of the design. Several residents suggested alternatives such as permanent one-way operation during school hours and asked the administration to hold targeted resident meetings on Jackson Avenue before design is finalized.

Engineering said the grant, if accepted, typically requires the township to bid the construction within about a year; Picariello said the scope links the widening to drainage, curbing and pavement-substrate improvements and is all-or-nothing under the grant terms.

The council did not finalize a decision and asked staff to return with clarifications and to hold resident outreach.