The area of the planned parklet in the unfinished state in which it has sat since July. (Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
By BRIAN DONOHUE
Good news and bad news here: First, after a couple months of delays, borough officials say construction crews will finally be able to finish the planned “parklet” that has sat as mess of torn up pavement and traffic cones since July along the east end of Monmouth Street. The bad news? The road will be closed to westbound traffic during the day for most of this week to get it done.
The road will be closed to westbound traffic only between Broad Street and Maple Avenue between 7:30 am and 6 p.m. for the remainder of the week, the advisory states.
The construction of the small parklet was delayed after construction crews began digging in July and found lead pipes and an old underground storage tank no one knew had been hiding there for a century or more. While smaller underground tanks can be removed, this larger than average 2,000 gallon tank needed to be cleaned and filled, a task only a small number of contractors in the area do, one adjacent property owner told redbankgreen.
“Unfortunately, we fell victim to Murphy’s Law, an old adage that says “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong,” RiverCenter Executive Director Bob Zuckerman wrote in his weekly newsletter. RiverCenter, which is funding the construction partially through a state grant, describes a parklet a “public seating platform that converts curbside parking spaces into a vibrant community space.”
Zuckerman said in the newsletter construction should take one or two week once work begins again. And he thanked businesses along that stretch of Monmouth Street for their “incredible patience over the last three months.”
The partial closure of the road to westbound traffic is slated for just this week. Unless Murphy’s law kicks in again, of course.
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
