Gateway to City to See $3.5 Million Facelift

SEA ISLE CITY — A small slice the city is slated to get a large facelift if plans are approved that call for a $3.5 million improvement to J.F.K. Boulevard and one block of Landis Avenue.
The three-tenths of a mile stretch of road was identified as needing improvements because of deteriorating pavement as well as issues with pedestrian safety and traffic capacity.
“We’re now into the point that we are submitting our plans to seek authorization for the project,” said Cape May County Engineer Dale Foster at an informational meeting held Wed., March 7 in the Sea Isle Public Safety Building.
“If we’re successful in getting authorization this summer, this project will go to construction this coming fall. We expect it start sometime in September and run until Memorial Day or early June of next year,” said Foster. “It’s a big project in a small area.”
According to Foster, money for the project will come from federal funding. The project already has $3 million identified. “We’re hoping there’s sufficient federal funding to com-plete the project,” Foster told the Herald. If not, the balance will be made up with county or city funds.
Plans include widening the boulevard’s southern sidewalks from the current width of 10 feet to 26 feet. Space for the widening will come from the removal of one traffic lane in each direction. Bump out lanes will be added for left turns. According to planners, no on-street parking spaces will be lost. Sidewalks on the northern side of J.F.K. will remain at 10 feet.
“Right now you have three lanes,” said Foster. “You’re going to be down to two lanes, so that’s where the 16 feet are coming from.”
“Twenty-six foot sidewalks sound like a lot,” said Andrew Previti, the city’s engineer. You’ll have trees in there and have benches…it blocks it quite a bit. It falls in with the city’s plan to try and develop a corridor from the beach to the bay.”
Planners hope the widened sidewalks create a boulevard-like effect, allowing pedestrians to walk safely and have benches to sit.
Flooding will be addressed by raising the elevation of J.F.K. Boulevard and Landis Avenue between J.F.K. and 40th Street.
“The idea is to get the water out of the road the best way we can,” said Adam Brown, Project Engineer for the Cherry Hill-based firm Urban Engineers.
“With raising the road, will our properties be flooded?” asked one resident.
“No. We’re raising the road the same,” said Brown. The water hits the intersection and will drain down, where there will be inlets. It will be caught there.”
A series of flapper valves on the end of pipes will close off pipes so water will not come in.
“Part of the problem is, it’s low,” said Foster. “Water can only flow downhill. We cannot make it go up.”
Included in the plans is a new traffic light to be placed at the intersection of J.F.K. Boule-vard and Park Avenue.
A new traffic light will be installed at the intersection of Park Road and J.F.K. Boulevard.
One resident commented that he thought a light at the intersection would create a bottle-neck as traffic comes into Sea Isle.
“On Thursdays and Fridays, I’m just concerned that it will cause a bottleneck and we’ll have a traffic jam going out to the Parkway.”
“It will be coordinated with the other lights,” said Foster. “We’re increasing motorists’ safety along with pedestrian safety because now you’ll have a traffic signal so now people will be able to cross J.F.K. there, too.”
“You’ll also be able to move more traffic out of town,” said Irene Jamison. “Not everyone is going to keep coming down to either Central or Landis. So that’s going to help move the traffic. As long as you’re doing that, I’m happy.”