FREEHOLD — A bicycle and pedestrian plan is being prepared for Freehold Borough with the assistance of the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT).
The purpose of the plan is to encourage bicycle and pedestrian activity in the borough, and to provide bicycle connections to regional parks, according to a press release from Freehold Borough Councilman John Newman.
Residents are invited to attend a public meeting at Borough Hall, West Main Street, on Dec. 20 from 4-6:30 p.m.
At that time, details of the bicycle and pedestrian plan will be discussed. Residents will be able to provide feedback about the plan to DOT personnel and to borough officials.
The Dec. 20 presentation is a follow-up to a meeting that was held in September during which DOT engineers presented information about the issue to local officials.
Newman said the purpose of conducting a study on the issue of bicycle use in town would be to ultimately make the streets of the borough safer and more accommodating to bicyclists and pedestrians. The DOT conducted the study at no cost to Freehold Borough.
Previous suggestions from the DOT engineers have included painting crosswalks on Main Street in the vicinity of the American Hotel and in the vicinity of Sheriff Street. The idea of installing a traffic signal at the intersection of Throckmorton and Main streets was also discussed. Another suggestion was to prohibit left turns on Dutch Lane Road.
Newman said officials want safety to be a priority given the number of students in Freehold Borough who walk to school.