ALLENTOWN – Municipal officials are asking residents who want to see children get to and from school in a safe manner to support a current effort that is seeking state funding.
According to Allentown officials, the borough is preparing a grant application to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) for Safe Routes to School funding which would include curb, sidewalk, ramp and crosswalk improvements on South Main Street from High Street to the borough line at Ellisdale Road.
Allentown’s application will feature the following improvements:
• High Street (Route 539): Construction of curb, sidewalks and curb ramps where none exist or are not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) from the intersection with South Main Street (Route 524) to the entrance to the Newell Elementary School (approximately 850 feet southeast of the intersection with South Main Street);
• South Main Street (Route 524 and Route 28): Construction of sidewalk and curb ramps where none exist or are not ADA compliant from a point approximately 250 feet east of the intersection with High Street (where streetscape Phase I improvements ended) to the borough limits to the west at the intersection with Ellisdale Road, New Road and Old York Road (Route 28) which is approximately 725 feet west of the intersection with Yardville-Allentown Road. These improvements will connect to proposed improvements by Upper Freehold Township at the intersection.
Municipal officials said Upper Freehold Township intends to submit a similar application for the same grant that will extend from the township side of the municipal boundary to the intersection of South Main Street/Old York Road and Ellisdale Road. They said this type of coordinated effort will aid in creating stronger applications to the DOT for both municipalities.
Allentown officials are requesting letters of support for the borough’s application no later than Aug. 20. Letters may be mailed to Allentown Borough, c/o Municipal Clerk Laurie A. Gavin, P.O. Box 487, Allentown, NJ 08501, emailed to Clerk@AllentownBoroNJ.com or dropped off at Borough Hall, 8 N. Main Street.
