The City Council wants to form a Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Committee and has a $335,000 state grant to fund the move.
By: Carl Reader
LAMBERTVILLE The City Council took steps Monday night toward making city streets safer and easier for bicycle riders and pedestrians to navigate.
With all sorts of traffic clogging many of the highways and byways of the city, council discussed plans for a new Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Committee. Lambertville has received a $335,000 state grant to address pedestrian and bicycle issues.
The grant will be used for public restrooms in the central business district and two information kiosks at Cavallo Park and on Bridge Street near the Delaware and Raritan Canal. In addition, the grant will pay for such things as benches, bicycle racks, trash receptacles, curb ramps and lighting at busy intersections in the central business district and the public area on North Main Street.
The council, which expects to introduce an ordinance Jan. 1 creating the new committee, discussed Monday whom it should consider naming to the panel and which organizations should be represented.
"You want whoever for that organization who is interested in that issue," Mayor David Del Vecchio said.
Mayor Del Vecchio said Bill Brown III, who uses an electric scooter because he has multiple sclerosis, would be a good choice for a seat on the committee.
Mr. Brown, who was in the audience, agreed immediately to come aboard. "You know I’ll accept on that one," he said.
Other familiar names were put forward, including Councilwoman Cynthia Ege, who applied for the grant on behalf of the city, and Councilman Steve Stegman.
"There are some people who bike all the time," Councilwoman Ege said, suggesting another criterion for being on the new committee.
Council members said they also thought the new committee should include representatives from the Police Department, the Lambertville Antique Dealers Association, the Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission and the Recreation Commission. The Lambertville Public School, the Lambertville PTA and South Hunterdon High School, should also have representatives on the committee.
Councilwoman Marie Warford suggested the council suggest bicyclists ride more safely.
Mrs. Warford noted bicyclists often flout the simplest safety concerns, such as riding with lights on their bikes at night.
"I can see these are things the committee will be concerned with," Mrs. Ege said.
Other individuals whom the council believed would be interested in the new committee were residents Paul Corpening, Judy Gundersheim, Len Toboz of the Lambertville Historical Society, Public Works Director Paul Cronce and residents Kevin Kirwin and Henry Hose.
In its eagerness to suggest names for the new committee, the council may have added too many people to the mix, according to City Clerk Mary Elizabeth Sheppard.
"This is a very unwieldy committee," she said.
After its discussion of who might be interested in serving on the new government body, the council decided to wait until Jan. 1 to introduce the new committee formally so proper public notice could be given.
"This is in the very preliminary stages," Ms. Sheppard said.