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Maplewood holds public meeting on Parker Avenue Complete Streets proposal
Summary
Township staff and a consultant presented a Complete Streets redesign for Parker Avenue (Prospect–Boyden) including 6-foot bike lanes, crosswalk upgrades and traffic‑calming; the township has tentatively placed $275,000 in the capital budget and will hold further hearings before a committee vote. Public comment was split between residents urging stronger physical protections and those worried about driveway access, school drop‑offs, leaves and snow removal.
Maplewood township committee members and staff presented a Complete Streets proposal on March 10 that would add dedicated bike lanes, narrower travel lanes for traffic calming and upgraded pedestrian crossings along Parker Avenue between Prospect Street and Boyden Avenue. Township host Vic DeLuca said the committee has provisionally included $275,000 in the capital budget for the project but "no decision has been made" and additional public input and staff recommendations will precede any final vote.
Paul Kittner, township engineer and director of public works, framed the plan as part of a longer bike‑network effort and cited past municipal‑aid repaving and Safe Routes to Schools grants that improved sidewalks and accessibility. "This plan isn't just a bike lane plan. It's a comprehensive Complete Streets safety plan for Parker Avenue," Kittner said. Consultant Pat Downey of Dynamic Traffic presented the data that informed the design, noting average daily traffic of about 5,000–7,500 vehicles and 85th‑percentile speeds of 28–34 mph, which he said supported the move from shared‑lane markings to dedicated bike lanes.
The meeting moved into an extended public‑comment period where residents raised both support and concerns. Supporters — including parents, members of local bike buses and frequent cyclists — urged the township to pursue physical protections such as bollards near schools and intermittent green markings. Opponents and cautious residents said the proposal could make driveway access and school drop‑offs more difficult, asked how leaf collection and snow removal would be handled in bike lanes, and wanted more study of signal timing at congested intersections. DeLuca said the township will continue the public process with meetings on March 24, an engineering/public works/planning subcommittee meeting on April 9 and a township committee discussion on April 15.
