By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
Grover Avenue residents are divided on which side of the street a new sidewalk should go on as part of the sewer reconstruction project in that neighborhood.
”When we target a road for sewer repairs and paving, having the curbing and sidewalks done during that time makes sense,” said Mayor Chad Goerner in response to a resident’s question. “It does make sense and having sidewalks on one side makes sense. It is our policy to introduce an ordinance that includes sidewalks on both sides of the street because we’ve found over many, many years of doing this that it tends to bring neighbors together to come up with a solution.”
Cost and maintenance are the issues that are preventing residents from embracing the idea.
Jean Rosenblum of Grover Avenue summarized many of the concerns and said there is not a consensus between the neighbors as to which side of the street the sidewalk should go on.
She asked about construction costs and maintenance, such as shoveling snow.
”Particularly if they have a long walk, it is a brand-new responsibility for us,” she said. “Whichever side of the street it goes on, assuming it’s one side of the street not two, that would be a responsibility shared only by the people who have that walk in front of their house.”
She also asked about impact on trees, shrubs and encroachment onto people’s front yards.
”The township took a different approach on this one,” said Sergeant Thomas Murray of the Princeton Township Police last week. “This is not in response to a specific problem.”
Sidewalks and curbing are part of context-sensitive design, which gives the perception of a narrower roadway that will slow drivers down, said Sgt. Murray.
”Subconsciously, they feel restricted and they slow down,” he said. “With the installation of curbing and the narrowing of the roadway that make things look more residential and constricted, drivers tend to slow down and respect the area a lot more.”
The township is pushing for sidewalk installation on Grover Avenue because the roadway will be under construction as sewer main and the roadway are repaired and resurfaced this spring, he said.
”It’s an excellent opportunity to install sidewalks at this time. The workers are going to be there and the equipment is going to be there, it’s economies of scale,” he said. “It’s cheaper to do it now. It would also complete the existing sidewalk system which ends at Clearview Avenue and tie it into the sidewalk system on Terhune Road.”
The Grover Avenue area is a pathway to the rear entrance of Grover Park and the back of the Princeton Shopping Center, he said.
”A sidewalk would provide pedestrian safety and a safe haven for pedestrians instead of having to walk in the roadway itself,” he added.
The Grover Avenue neighborhoods are turning over with long-time residents moving and younger residents moving in with children or having children. Those children will reach school age and need to walk to school.
”They don’t feel safe if there is not a sidewalk for their children to walk on,” said Sgt. Murray, who said he hears from parents annually requesting hazard route busing for their children. “For me to go out and declare this area safe, I can’t because I can’t account for drivers.”
Grover Avenue pupils attend Littlebrook Elementary School.
”I’m a proponent of sidewalks and will to anything to promote sidewalks,” said the officer. “We are trying to be proactive and take advantage of the situation that construction is going to be taking place on the roadway. It makes perfect sense to go in right now and provide that safe haven with sidewalks.”
Police could not recall any pedestrian incidents in recent memory in the Grover Avenue area.
”The biggest concern right now is speeding issues,” said Sgt. Murray. “I have had patrols out there enforcing the speed limit on a more vigorous basis than in the past. We have written speeding summons out there.”
The speed limit on Grover Avenue is 25 m.p.h. and motorists are observed driving up to 10 to 15 m.p.h over the limit, based on data police gather when they do enforcement.
The sidewalk issue needs to be decided by May for timely installation.
Mayor Goerner said the township would choose if a consensus cannot be reached.

