Project Could Permit More Children to Bike to School

CAPE MAY – A public information forum was held at the Cape May City Elementary School Gymnasium Oct. 17 for the upcoming Cape May Bikeway Expansion project from Coast Guard Training Center Cape May (TRACEN), on Pennsylvania Avenue, to Madison and Lafayette streets.
The project is designed to promote and enable children from TRACEN to safely bike to school, as well as help other cyclists and pedestrians maneuver through town.
The project received funds through the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program, which is established by the state Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Division of Local Aid using Federal Highway Administration’s Highway Safety Improvements program funds for municipalities such as Cape May, which applied and was awarded the funding. 
The elementary school has 155 students; 87 are children from TRACEN.
The project, slated to begin this fall and be completed by spring 2020, will include safer crossings, utilizing markings and enlarged bike lanes signage, specifically for bicyclists.
According to Acting County Engineer Robert Church, specific issues of interest to the SRST and NJDOT include the following road crossings: 
* Madison Avenue and Washington Street 
* Madison and Michigan avenues 
* Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania avenues
The road crossings include non-compliant Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) curb ramps, poorly placed detectable warning surfaces and lack of pedestrian signals and push buttons. The route between TRACEN and the elementary school now lacks bicycle traffic signage and pavement markings, and has inadequate pedestrian signing.
Improvements, such as repaving Lafayette Street to the West Perry Street intersection, are being done under a separate project, expected to be completed during winter and spring.
Of concern to some in attendance is the difficulty of parking in front of the school while dropping off or picking up students during the fall and spring tourism shoulder seasons. 
One woman, who didn’t want to be identified, was apprehensive that the project could encourage more traffic, and was anxious about speeding cars and bicyclists who do not follow safe biking rules, disregard stop signs and do not signal when wanting to cross a street.
Parents complained that room is limited when opening car doors on the street. They worry the traffic could hit a car door, or a student. Though the school provides crossing guard service, space is limited for parking, and parents are not allowed to park in the school’s lot.
Cape May City Council member Zack Mullock has one child in the school, and two who will attend in a few years. 
“I would like to see the landmass at the corner of the parking lot taken away. It doesn’t serve any purpose, no historical landmark was ever on that property,” said Mullock. “This could create easier parking options for parents and more safety for our kids.”
Tom Pagani, project manager, and civil engineer, told Mullock the matter would be looked into.
Though the project is set to begin shortly, Pagani and Church are open to public input. 
Church can be emailed at countyengineer@co.cape-may.nj.us, and Pagani can be reached at tom.pagani@wsp.com. 
More information can be found through Jerry Inderwies, Jr., deputy city manager for Cape May, by calling 609-884-9599 or emailing jinderwies@capemaycity.com.
To contact Jennifer Kopp, email jkopp@cmcherald.com.