Inclement weather postponed the Sept. 21 anticipated deadline.
By: Cynthia Williamson
LAMBERTVILLE The installation of speed humps on South Union Street should begin soon, possibly this week.
The city had anticipated the project would be finished by Sept. 21, but city Public Works Director Paul Cronce said inclement weather is responsible for the delay.
Construction is expected to begin "anytime now," Mr. Cronce said this week.
The city authorized spending $23,351 to Joinico of West Amwell for the controversial humps some residents are hopeful will control speeding through their neighborhood.
Three of the speed-control devices are planned between Mt. Hope and Ferry streets though funding may only cover the cost of two to be placed near Swan Street and about 75 yards south of the intersection.
The third speed hump would be placed just south of the Ferry Street intersection, near the old Acme Market.
It is anticipated the project will take a week to complete during which time sections of South Union will be closed for half-day intervals while milling, installation and painting takes place. Detour signs will direct motorists to alternate routes.
In other business related to traffic, state Department of Transportation representatives have agreed to meet with residents and explain its reasoning for rejecting traffic and pedestrian safety measures proposed by the town earlier this year.
No date has been set for the meeting because DOT has been preoccupied with the World Trade Center disaster but Mayor David Del Vecchio said he will hold the state department to its promise.
Among those ideas rejected by the state is reducing the speed limit throughout the 1-square-mile town to 25 miles per hour. The city is unique in that three state highways routes 29, 179 and 165 crisscross its boundaries so virtually any transportation changes officials want to impose need state approval.
The state also rejected a proposal to reconfigure the Route 518/165 intersection because a review of traffic and accident data didn’t support it, DOT wrote in a letter to the city.