Anti-Median Petition May Stall Project

WILDWOOD CREST ─ Wildwood Crest borough commissioners unveiled three proposed drawings for the median project destined for Pacific Avenue.
After a 2-1 vote at the Oct. 7 meeting, the administration will proceed with bringing a more residential appearance to Pacific Avenue. Despite the split in public opinion, residents in favor of medians have pointed out increased safety and aesthetic values brought by the medians.
“I am convinced that the medians will improve safety,” Mayor Carl Groon had said during the Oct. 7 meeting. “I have listened to my engineer and the police department.” Groon also added his belief in government “making an investment in the neighborhood” at the proper time.
“This is our time,” Groon had said.
Groon gave his support for the proposed drawings, commending Commissioner Don Cabrera for “putting the idea together.” “I approve of the plan,” said Groon.
According to Groon, adjustments may occur, yet he believes the plan is sound.
Cabrera believes that the drawings will “give the public a feel for what the medians will look like. People, most people, are visual.”
However, Cabrera pointed out that the trees will most likely be centered more toward the middle than the end of the individual medians. “We hope people will find it beautiful,” Cabrera said.  Cabrera reiterated the median project as being “good for the Crest.”
The proposed timeline for the project was set for December to begin construction. However, a recent petition has been allegedly filed, according to Cabrera. Validation concerning the petition is pending.
When asked why such a petition would be filed against the project, Cabrera replied cost “was the main factor.”
“We had gotten wind of this,” Cabrera said. He said that releasing the drawings is a step in presenting the facts in light of some misunderstanding.
According to a borough release, Wildwood Crest has released architect’s renderings of the proposed traffic medians that are part of an overall reconstruction project along the northern end of Pacific Avenue.
These colorful, landscaped medians, which will be located in the center of the roadway, will be 12-feet wide and will be constructed with sloped concrete curb, trees, sod, topsoil and other vegetation and will be irrigated.
Medians will be constructed from Morning Glory Road through Primrose Road. The area along Pacific Avenue on the north side of Rambler Road in front of the Wildwood Crest Volunteer Fire Company will not have a median in order to allow safe, easy access to the roadway for emergency vehicles.
Upon completion of the project, the entire length of Pacific Avenue in Wildwood Crest, from Cresse Avenue at the northern border to Jefferson Avenue at the southern border, will be one lane in each direction. New two-lane driving-lane widths from Morning Glory Road to Rambler Road will be 15 to 16 feet. Current four-lane driving-lane widths along the north end of Pacific Avenue are 11 feet. Parking lanes at the curbs will be eight to nine feet, same as the existing width.
Median construction costs are estimated to be $465,000, or approximately 18 percent of estimated the total project cost of $2.5 million. The Pacific Avenue reconstruction project also includes utility improvements consisting of the replacement of sewer mains and gas, water and storm drainage lines; road surfacing; and concrete work. The project was approved by ordinance by the Wildwood Crest Board of Commissioners at its regular bimonthly meeting on Oct. 7.
The street construction project is scheduled to begin in early December and is expected to be complete in May, in time for the 2016 summer season.