S.B. will use recovery funds for speed humps

Council agrees traffic slowing needed for public safety

BY KIMBERLY STEINBERG Staff Writer

SEA BRIGHT — Traffic-calming measures on the borough’s north end on Church Street were discussed at the Borough Council meeting on Aug. 1.

Councilman James LoBiondo, chairman of the Public Works and Building Committee, said he met with borough engineer David Hoder, who advised that a permanent speed hump could be installed on Church Street within the next two weeks.

“I’m certainly for it. I think it’s a public safety issue, so this is definitely a positive,” LoBiondo said.

Mayor Maria Fernandes said the second part of Downtown Infrastructure Improvement Project (DIIP) monies affecting Church, River, South, Peninsula and Osborne streets could be used to fund the speed hump.

Fernandes expressed her concern over putting in the hump before receiving the grant funding.

“Down the road, the hump would be ripped up. It doesn’t make sense to spend $4,000 to just rip it up,” Fernandes said.

She suggested that the borough install a temporary hump on Church, which is what the borough has done in the past.

Hoder said the borough is preparing to apply for the grant.

Councilwoman Dina Long said that she has received negative feedback about the existing speed humps.

“Residents said that they’re too low, and I understand there’s good reason for it,” Long said, urging Hoder to elaborate.

Hoder explained that humps are lower, longer and safer than bumps. They’re broader so that cars don’t launch into the air, but high enough to let people now that they should slow down.

“Our designs for the speed humps were approved by the Department of Transportation (DOT) engineers and public safety officers,” Hoder said.

Long said the speed humps fail to deter drivers from speeding.

“You have to watch the traffic. They’re not slowing down; they’re now speeding up and going over it because they’re fun,” said Long.

“Until you blow an axle out,” countered LoBiondo.

“They’re too low to blow an axle. People are going 30 miles an hour into the end of Surf Street,” Long said.

Hoder confirmed Long’s statement, saying that the humps are safe for cars. He told council that he would never recommend building higher bumps, because people would get hurt.

“You wind up having accidents. They’re only there to get people’s attention; you don’t want to have someone uncontrollable on the street,” Hoder said.

“I think residents need to understand that the humps were built based on state recommendations,” Long said.

Fernandes reminded council that the state had recommended the installation of two speed humps on Church Street instead of the one that was installed there.

“The recommended two humps for Church Street was excessive in terms of dollars,” Hoder said, with council members in agreement.

LoBiondo said that the project should focus on the center of the borough.

“Church is crucial in terms of protecting kids,” Long said, with all members of council agreeing.

Hoder explained that he would submit an application this month and anticipate hearing back in the next two or three months whereupon the state would tell the borough its priority number, which can range from one into the thousands.

The grants come from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

“Although the process is now speedier, I estimate the project starting two years at the very best,” Hoder said.

Long and LoBiondo agreed that if spending $4,000 saves a child’s life or prevents an injury, then it’s worth putting the permanent hump in right away.

“A temporary hump was on Beach Street, then it was taken out, and the residents said that they missed [it],” Long said.

“I think Church needs one. We can use our temporary on River Street,” Councilman C. Read Murphy added.

All members of council voted in favor of putting in a permanent hump on Church Street immediately.