ALLENTOWN – Mayor Thomas Fritts has requested a meeting with Monmouth County representatives to address the situation at one of the busiest intersections in the borough.
During the Aug. 11 meeting of the Borough Council, Fritts told members of the governing body and the public he has written to Monmouth County Engineer Joseph Ettore regarding the intersection of South Main and High streets.
There is no traffic signal at the intersection and both roads are under the jurisdiction of the county: South Main Street is designated as Monmouth County Route 524 and High Street is designated as Monmouth County Route 539.
In his letter to Ettore, Fritts wrote, “As you know, several years ago Allentown made improvements to the downtown commercial district at South Main Street in consultation with your office.
“The borough continues to make improvements to residential areas in and around the commercial district. However, many of the most complex and costly improvements remain and we are requesting the county’s assistance in continuing to improve our borough.
“Specifically, South Main Street and High Street are in great need of improvement. The intersection of the two roads is very hard to navigate due to poor vertical and horizontal geometry.
“There are obstructions due to the alignment of most driveways; elevation differences between the sidewalk and pavement make it difficult to walk the area; and the storm water system at the intersection of the two roads appears to require much needed improvement.
“On behalf of Allentown, I am requesting a formal meeting with the county to review our concerns and create a path forward for improvements,” Fritts wrote.
The Newell Elementary School and Allentown High School share a campus on High Street not far from South Main Street and the intersection of the two roads is one of the busiest locations in Allentown at various times of the day.
In other business during the Aug. 11 meeting, council members authorized the firm E&LP Associates to complete a Monmouth County municipal open space grant application.
The application is due on Sept. 17, according to a resolution. Allentown officials are seeking funding for the Phase II development of Sgt. George Ashby Memorial Park.
The cost of E&LP Associates’ work for this assignment is not to exceed $9,400. The firm has been working with the borough on the development of Ashby Park.
Ashby Park is bounded by Hamilton, Broad and North Main streets, and is situated behind the Allentown United Methodist Church property.
On June 9, council members authorized E&LP Associates to seek bids from contractors for the Phase I development of Ashby Park.
This week, Fritts told the Examiner the bids for the Phase I work were accepted on Aug. 20 and are being reviewed by E&LP Associates, by the Buildings and Grounds Committee and by the Parks and Public Spaces Committee.
The next meeting of the Borough Council is scheduled for Sept. 8.