SOMERS POINT — Roadway improvements have begun on Shore Road from Goll Avenue in the south to Ocean Heights Avenue in the north, forcing partial road closures that will continue through the summer.
City Council awarded a $951,306 contract Dec. 6 to Fred M. Schiavone Construction of Malaga for the Shore Road Pedestrian Improvements project.
Work will include new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps at intersections, new crosswalks and installation of a rectangular rapid flashing beacon at key crossings.
Work has started outside Josie Kelly’s Public House, Gregory’s Bar and Charlie’s Bar, but engineer Greg Schneider said after that is complete work would move north toward Dawes Avenue before resuming to the south later in the season.
The city received an $861,000 Safe Streets to Transit grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation in August 2023 to fund the work.
The Safe Streets to Transit program utilizes Transportation Trust Fund dollars to improve safety and accessibility for mass transit riders in the vicinity of transit facilities. These funds serve to advance transportation initiatives without burdening local property taxpayers.
Schneider said the project includes new ADA-accessible handicap ramps at all intersections, as well as new Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons at locations with a great number of pedestrian crossings.
They will be located outside Josie Kelly’s, Gregory’s and Charlie’s as well as at Bethel Road and Dawes Avenue.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, “a marked crosswalk or pedestrian warning sign can improve safety for pedestrians crossing the road, but at times may not be sufficient for drivers to visibly locate crossing locations and yield to pedestrians.
“To enhance pedestrian conspicuity and increase driver awareness at uncontrolled, marked crosswalks, transportation agencies can install a pedestrian actuated Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) to accompany a pedestrian warning sign.”
RRFBs consist of two rectangular-shaped yellow indicators, each with a LED array-based light source. RRFBs flash with an alternating high frequency when activated to better alert drivers to pedestrians at the crossing.
All intersections will get new crosswalks.
Schneider said the work will increase accessibility and safety.
In addition, Schneider said, a decorative fence and planters will be installed in front of Josie Kelly’s Public House and Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar to prevent jay-walking.
A pedestrian island will be added at Bethel Road and bus shelters and crosswalk signals at New York Avenue.
While Shore Road is a county-owned road, both the city and county worked on the project.
There’s also good news for those tired of navigating the intersection of Shore Road and Ocean Heights Avenue, where heavy traffic and a down slope contribute to long waits and hazardous conditions. An Atlantic County project under way will include installation of a traffic light. No timeline on that project was available.
– STORY and PHOTO by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
