Plans for $8 million in new facilities at the Community YMCA on Maple Avenue in Red Bank have raised concerns about traffic safety, according to today's Asbury Park Press.
The newspaper reports that the Y's expansion project
would add a family-friendly pool and indoor-outdoor sprinkler park; a six-lane lap pool; a modern gym with spectator space and a new indoor track; facilities for a fitness and wellness center; a spinning room; a Wii room; additional parking; a new lobby; and a seniors-only area.
The plan also would renovate the existing teen center, senior citizen and children's program areas and modernize the locker rooms.
In a joint letter, though, residents have called on the borough to link approvals to traffic and parking improvements at the site.
From the article:
Traffic concerns have been raised in a letter to the board signed as "Red Bank residents" who want adequate on-site parking and elimination of on-street parking on Route 35-Maple Avenue.
Plans are to increase parking on the 5.9-acre YMCA site from 152 to 231 spaces.
The letter also asks for two full-width driveways to and from Route 35 to replace an existing single-width driveway and to correct limited-sight distance for drivers pulling out of the Y.
Plans call for modifying the existing Route 35 driveway to accommodate two-way traffic and improving the Pearl Street entrance to "enhance vehicular flow."
A traffic study for the YMCA calls for having a pick-up and drop-off zone on the YMCA property and echoes the residents' concern that parked vehicles on Route 35 "may result in some interference" of drivers' ability to see up and down Route 35.
