Township gets $300K for bikeway

Assemblymen Panter and Morgan helped East Windsor to get a grant that will fund a bike path connecting Twin Rivers to Etra Lake Park.

By: Dana Lynn Flatekval
   EAST WINDSOR — Residents soon can enjoy a bikeway path that will connect Twin Rivers to Etra Lake Park, thanks to a $300,000 grant obtained by state legislators.
   Assemblymen Michael J. Panter and Robert L. Morgan, D-Mercer/Monmouth, helped the township get the grant that will help fund the $331,694 bikeway that is slated to go from the southern end of Lake Drive to Etra Lake Park and will allow for a link between Twin Rivers residents and the park.
   The pathway also will connect the Ethel McKnight Elementary School to the park.
   Mayor Janice Mironov said the bikeway path serves a "valuable purpose" because students from the Ethel McKnight Elementary School use Etra Lake Park for environment-related projects.
   The grant is part of the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Local Bikeways and Safe Streets to School Program, which provides funding for transportation projects in the state.
   Mayor Mironov said the township will pay for the remaining balance of the project.
   "This is the type of project that really improves the quality of life for a municipality," Mr. Panter said. "Mayor Mironov brought it to our attention and with our support, the Department of Transportation saw what an excellent use of state resources it would be."
   Dr. Morgan said the township has worked hard to make sure the residents have safe recreational facilities.
   "The new path will give thousands of residents a safe place to walk and ride their bicycles away from traffic as well as direct access to Etra Lake, one of the township’s most beautiful resources," Dr. Morgan said.
   Mr. Panter said because of insufficient funds, good projects such as the pathway are not always awarded money.
   But through meetings with NJDOT Commissioner Jack Lettiere, the two assemblymen made their case and advocated the pathway project.
   "(Mayor Mironov) made a compelling case to us that this pathway would benefit so many people," Mr. Panter said. "This is a terrific holiday present for East Windsor."
   Mayor Mironov said the township is grateful to the state legislators for their assistance and support in obtaining the grant.
   The mayor said the township also had support from the Twin Rivers Homeowners Association, Mercer County Planning Board and East Windsor Regional School District.
   In a letter from Mr. Lettiere, the township was commended for its bikeway idea.
   "The bikeway program is both very popular and competitive," he wrote. "I am pleased to announce that we were able to fund 27 local bikeway projects.
   "NJDOT is committed to principles that complement smart growth and the role of transportation in promoting the smart growth initiative," Mr. Lettiere stated in his letter. "The completion of East Windsor Township’s project will help us achieve this goal and pursue a transportation strategy that provides mobility while preserving the natural beauty of our state."
   Mayor Mironov said securing funding is the first step in the process. She couldn’t say when work would begin.
   "Once we put together specifications for design and engineering, we can begin to put out bids and then award a contract," the mayor said.