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Council OKs final-design funding for Safe Routes to School and seeks Municipal Aid for Central Avenue
Summary
The council reviewed FHWA authorization of $275,317.45 for the final design phase of a long-running Safe Routes to School project and approved applying for NJDOT Municipal Aid ($697,459.20) for Central Avenue improvements covering 0.66 miles between South and Maple Streets.
Council discussed transportation grants that move stalled projects into active design and potential construction. The New Jersey Department of Transportation notified the borough that the Federal Highway Administration authorized $275,317.45 in federal funds for final design on the borough’s 2018 Safe Routes to School grant; the project includes new sidewalks, curbs and ADA upgrades on South Street, Laurel Drive and Brookside Drive to form continuous accessible routes to schools.
Separately, staff presented a resolution to submit an application and execute a grant contract with NJDOT for Municipal Aid to fund Central Avenue improvements. The municipal-aid request is for $697,459.20 to preserve and upgrade roadway safety on Central Avenue from South Street to Maple Street (approximately 0.66 miles) with work outside the NJ Transit right-of-way. Council members stressed continued resident engagement given prior outreach on Safe Routes designs and noted that final-design funding covers the design phase only; additional construction funds are set aside separately.
A council member said residents’ feedback from prior public sessions on Laurel Drive and Brookside will be considered where feasible during final design. Staff confirmed there is separate construction funding (about $430,000 noted in discussion) for later phases of the Safe Routes project.
