Council Councilwoman Kate Triggiano, center top row, chaired the meeting for the first time since her January 1 election as council president. (Photo from Zoom. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Red Bank’s council debated several issues with less friction Wednesday night than often seen over the past two years.
Bodman Place meets Riverside Avenue between 176 Riverside, at left, and the Colony House apartments, center. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Restarting an effort that failed four years ago, the Red Bank council is expected to again press for the installation of a traffic light at a busy intersection.
Also on the agenda for the council’s semimonthly meeting Wednesday night is a request that Monmouth County create new crosswalks on busy Shrewsbury Avenue.
Much as they did a year ago for Monmouth Street (above), student planners from Rutgers University’s Bloustein School will offer suggestions for improving Red Bank’s Shrewsbury Avenue corridor as well as the Navesink River waterfront next week.
Student planners from Rutgers led the information-gathering session at the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center. Below, a map on display at the event. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Worries about gentrification and pedestrian safety were at the fore as Red Bank residents gathered for a brainstorming session about the future of Shrewsbury Avenue Wednesday night.
Student planners from Rutgers will solicit ideas for improving neighborhoods along Shrewsbury Avenue. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Here’s a ‘magic wand’ question for you: if you could instantly transform Shrewsbury Avenue in Red Bank, what would it become?
Ditto for creating direct access to the Navesink River from Broad Street: what’s your dream?
Borough residents and other interested parties will get to weigh in on those questions and more Wednesday night.
Flashing beacons to help pedestrians cross Shrewsbury Avenue would be installed at Locust Avenue, above, and two other intersections. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Shrewsbury Avenue in Red Bank will get $1 million worth of pedestrian-safety and streetscape upgrades under a grant award announced Friday.
New streetlamps are also to be installed along the roadway, where dozens of existing fixtures have been out of commission for years.
Streetlamps on both ends of a crosswalk at Catherine Street are among dozens along Shrewsbury Avenue awaiting repairs. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Pedestrian safety issues rose to the fore again at the Red Bank borough council’s latest meeting.
As they have often in the past, conditions along Shrewsbury Avenue in particular sparked outrage.
Theo Cheevers at Church Street and Rumson Road, site of a recent sidewalk reconstruction. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
Where exactly in Little Silver are there sidewalks, and what condition are they in? How might crosswalks be improved?
A young borough man has decided to tackle those questions this summer. And while the effort sounds, um, pedestrian, local government officials are looking forward to his findings.
The intersection of River Road and Fair Haven Road boasts some key features of “Complete Streets” design, including distinctive crosswalks. (Photo by Connor Soltas. Click to enlarge)
By CONNOR SOLTAS
A crosswalk-ahead sign, a crosswalk sign, a narrowing road, a yield-to-pedestrians sign in the median, a stop sign and a distinctive red crosswalk: all are elements of a “Complete Streets” policy adopted last week by Fair Haven’s borough council.
Echoing the language of a movement that aims to change the concept of streets as existing primarily for motor vehicles, borough engineer Rich Gardella said the policy’s goal is “to provide an attractive and safe access for all users and modes of transportation.”
In particular, that will mean equipping intersections with features like additional crosswalk signs and sand-colored shoulder barriers, all aimed at encouraging motorists to be more cautious around pedestrians, cyclists and the handicapped.