SEA BRIGHT — Head-out angled parking is set to replace parallel parking in downtown Sea Bright.
Despite some apprehension and traffic safety concerns, the Borough Council decided to move forward with the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s (DOT) work order for head-out angled parking in the downtown area as part of streetscape improvements along Ocean Avenue from the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge to Beach Street.
At a special meeting on Oct. 15, the council voted in favor of a resolution approving the final Ocean Avenue Streetscaping Project and authorization to advertise for bids.
Police Chief John Sorrentino addressed concerns about traffic flow and the limited sidewalk width the downtown area has for the proposed angled parking.
Sorrentino said he has spoken with police chiefs in Hoboken and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, about traffic safety. He said Sea Bright has three main differences — speed limits in those downtown areas are 25 miles per hour, the main downtown roads in Hoboken and Bethlehem are not state highways (Ocean Avenue is Route 36) and their towns have wider sidewalks accommodating the angled parking.
Borough officials suggested implementing parking bumpers for the angled parking spots. Borough Engineer Jackie Flor said she did bring up the idea of parking bumpers; however, DOT officials declined the bump outs on the basis of snow plowing.
Mayor Dina Long suggested that the snow plowing for the angled spots could be carried out by the borough’s Public Works Department.
Sorrentino said another item that has been in discussion is implementing a “suicide lane” or additional turning lane heading north toward the Rumson Bridge.
Borough Council members voiced concern that the grant funding expires next year.
In 2014, the borough was also awarded a $1.34 million state grant from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for streetscape improvements to pedestrian safety, bicycle safety and aesthetics with pedestrian-level lighting and seating and signage along Ocean Avenue.
In March, T&M Associates was awarded the contract for the preparation of Planning, Design, Engineering and Grant Administrative Services in the amount of $127,272.
“My fear is if we delay the project, we lose [some] of the funding or all of the funding,” said Councilman Brian Kelly, who added that he shares the same concerns as Sorrentino about the safety of angled parking.
Flor said DOT officials advised her that a work order is in place for angled parking; however, if borough officials decided to change the plans, DOT officials could not guarantee a new plan would be able to be put on the department’s schedule for work being done starting in March.
She said the angled parking spots are the same width as the current parallel parking spots.
Councilman Charles Rooney III said traffic flow is important for the beach town. This summer, he said, the town experienced an incident in which a woman gave birth in traffic because she wasn’t able to make it to the hospital in time.
“It’s not good when traffic backs up,” he said.
Rooney said his father, former Sea Bright Mayor Charles Rooney, always said, “If the DOT wants to invest in the town, let them.”
“We want to make DOT like us … we want them to be on our team,” the councilman said, adding that DOT has been good to Sea Bright. “After [superstorm] Sandy [in 2012], they brought in equipment to help dig us out.”
The initial resolution for the streetscape plan, which was approved in February, included head-out angled parking beginning at a point 395 feet south of Rumson Road and extending to Beach Street with a twohour parking limit between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Sunday through Saturday, including holidays, from May 1 through Oct. 1 each year.
The plan also includes designated bicycle lanes four to five feet wide in both directions between Monmouth Beach and Middletown Township.
Keeler suggested striping revisions for the bike lanes for additional safety precautions.
Flor said she could add all the traffic safety suggestions including the parking bumpers and the “suicide lane” to the existing work order. She said DOT has given her a laundry list of items to add to the order, which include a lighting analysis and more, before she submits the final draft to go to bid.