Community Clean Up!

Local Volunteers Needed for Southend Causeway/Corson’s Inlet  Clean Up

 

            Local groups have come together to sponsor a clean up of the city’s Southend Causeway from Ocean City to Strathmere, as well as the Corson’s State Park area on Saturday, November 1, 2008 in Ocean City.  Together the 16 – 34 Community Association, the Ocean City Environmental Commission, Mayor’s Council on Physical Fitness, and Ocean City Clean Communities will be sponsoring the clean up.  All are welcomed and encouraged to attend and lend a helping hand!

             Volunteers are asked to meet at the parking lot of Corson’s Inlet State Park, at the base of the Rus Chattin Bridge at 9 AM on Saturday November 1st.  Be sure to wear appropriate clothing and footwear; wear waterproof boots if possible.  Work gloves will be needed, please bring them if you have them.  Cape May County and the Ocean City Clean Communities will provide trash bags.  Refreshments will be offered. 

             The Southend Causeway and Corson’s Inlet State Park  is a popular area for walking, jogging, bike riding, fishing, boating and nature observation.  Local residents have voiced concerns of trash and litter along the road and in the state park area.  Families, individuals and groups are encouraged to help preserve the natural beauty of our island on Saturday, November 1st.   

 For more information or questions, please contact Michael Collins at City Hall by email mcollins@OCNJ.US or 609-525-9285 or Teresa Coggshall with 16 34 Community Association by email tcoggshall@comcast.net or 267-210-0114. 

Click Here For Info

__________________________________________

SOS
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED

 

 

 The Save Our Station (SOS) coalition is trying to find a private buyer to purchase and restore the 4^th St. Life Saving Station and put it to public/private use.  NO taxpayer dollars will be used.  This historic building was built in the 1880’s and is the last remaining station of a chain of over 50 stations which at one time provided rescue services to shipwrecked vessels on the Great Egg Harbor Inlet sandbar.  In the days of sail this was a fairly common occurrence.

 The current owner seeks to demolish and build multiple family living units on this site and will do so if a private buyer cannot be found.  SOS has incurred significant legal expenses in its efforts to save this historic site.  If you value preservation of something unique to Ocean City’s history please send a contribution to:  SAVE OUR STATION COALITION,

P.O. Box 318, Ocean City, NJ 08226

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BIKE ADVOCACY and ROUTE INFORMATION and UPDATES:

Thank you for attending the bike meeting on August 11th. Your input, feedback, and enthusiasm will go a long way in making improvements to the Haven Avenue Bike Route and adding more routes in town. The goal is to create a network of safe and neighborhood friendly bike routes throughout the community.
Attached please find the post script notes which will be presented to the Mayor and City Council.
A few of the suggestions have already been addressed. We hope to see more improvements implemented soon.
Again, thank you for your time and support.  


Mayors Advisory Council on Physical Fitness & Sports

BIKEOCNJ.ORG


On Monday August 11^th, 2008, the Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Sports held a public Bike Route Design and Safety Meeting at the Headley Room of the Ocean City public library.  The goal of the meeting was to gauge the general public’s support of developing a city-wide bicycle network; to discuss the acceptance of the newly created Haven Avenue Bike Route, and any issues, problems, improvements, etc;  to gauge the support for extending the bike route north (9^th St to Battersea Rd) and south (50^th to 56^th St); and also to discuss the possibility – and/or support of -   a re-engineered roadway on West Avenue from 34^th St to 58^th St (similar to the current configuration on West Ave mid-island); to include traffic calming measures: reduced speed limit, pedestrian friendly “bump outs” at intersections, expanded bike lanes, etc.

The meeting focused on 3 topics for discussion (see below), with a presentation - and  emphasis - on pedestrian/ bicycle safety in our community. 

Agenda: Public Discussion

Haven Avenue

1. - Current

2. Haven Avenue

3. - Expansion

       - 9th to Battersea Rd

                - 50th to 56th St

 
West Avenue

3. – Traffic calming 34^th to 58^th St 

    

    

Haven Avenue

- Current

                       Quotes:

a.       “I’ve been waiting 15 years, and now I’m excited about having a bike path.”

b.      “Love the bike path.”

c.       “I love the bike route, and I hope it expands.”

d.      “The bike path is wonderful.”

e.       “It’s working great.”

f.        “Thank you to all involved.”

g.       “It’s a dream come true.”

      Concerns:

a.       Sharrows – visibility: location (more needed?), color (brighter?)

b.      Enforcement – speed limit  

c.       Signage - need addition of N/S stop signs at 19^th, 30^th, 32^nd and 33^rd Streets

d.      Signage – showing “bike route” at intersections to alert motorists that they are crossing or on a bike route

e.       Safety – inattentive vehicle drivers, ped/bike visibility,bikers on sidewalks, commercial & city properties

f.        Education – need better marketing of route, and generally more bike safety education

 
Haven Avenue

- Expansion

                                ·        Public wants a safe corridor

·        Through or around housing authority (?)

·        Utilizing

Simpson Avenue

as a transition (?)

 

·        Develop connections to the north end of the boardwalk

·        Safe crossing at

9th Street

; (over, under, or through) major safety concern of all residents in attendance

 

Miscellaneous Input

                                   

·        Accommodate bikers downtown (!)

·        Create a downtown (

Asbury Ave

) bike lane

 

·        Designating certain streets as one way (?)

·        Curbing to protect the bike lane – creating separated bike lanes

·        Speed limit  - reduce speed limit town-wide to 25MPH (?)

·        Develop cross town connectors:

·        Battersea, 5^th, 6^th, 8^th, 9^th, 10^th, 14^th, 18^th, 24^th, 29th

·        Visibility at corners; parking currently allowed too close to corners. (bump-outs create better visibility)

·        More Sharro education needed

·        More safety education needed

·        Ask high school students to make a PSA for channel 2

·        Make brochures to be given out by Realtors, visitors center, on the Boardwalk, at bike shops …..

·        Identify intersections with 4 way stop signs ( “4 way stop”)

 

 West Avenue

– 34^th to 58^th St

 

      Need to have streets that allow car traffic to move

      Not safe for family riding

      Sections of “

Haven Avenue

” not roadways (48th), but people feel safer than on

West Avenue

 

      Problems for pedestrians crossing 4 lanes of

West Avenue

 

      Traffic calming and center turning lane can be helpful

      Issues on

55th Street

, which is a county road

 

      Focus on 36th to 50th Streets as a “connector” between

Haven Avenue

bikeway

 OVERVIEW:

What we heard:

      Public likes (loves) the Haven Ave Bike Route

      Some improvements can be made to bike route

      Public is very much in favor of the development of bike routes throughout town;  expand Haven Avenue North and South;  create/develop East/West connectors to downtown, boardwalk, etc; 

      Public endorses traffic calming measures which: slow traffic, increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists

      Need for improved safety education

      Need for improved marketing of bike route(s)

      Need for increased enforcement of speed limits on bike route

 

 

 Following are the short to mid term goals for creating a more bicycle/pedestrian friendly community; as presented by the Mayor's Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.  

 

*Haven Avenue

Bike Route

*
* Expand the Haven Avenue Bike Route to include 9th St to Battersea Rd,
(and North to the Longport Bridge).
* Expand the Haven Ave Bike Route to include the Southend: 50th to 56th St.
* Plan/implement safe crossings at 55th st, 34th st, 9th st and Battersea Rd@ Haven Ave.

*Downtown*
* Reduce speed limits on

Asbury Ave

from 5th to 18th Streets to 15 MPH
* Introduce "Share The Road" in the downtown.
* Introduce mid-block crosswalkson

Asbury Ave

, with bike racks curbside. This could
initially be introduced on the 800, 900, or 1000 blocks as a pilot program.
* Reduce speed limits to 15mph on

Central Ave

from 6th to 18th Streets.
* Add 4 way stops at

Central Ave

intersections: 5th, 8th, 10th, 14th &
18th Streets.

*East/West Connectors*
* Develop the East/West connectors from

Haven Ave

through the downtown
and t o the Boardwalk; 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 14th, 18th, and 24th streets.
* Improve crosswalks from

Haven Ave

to

Central Ave

(and East) on 5th
(north side - westbound bike traffic), 6th (southside - eastbound bike
traffic), 8th, 10th, 14th & 18th.
* Create these same East/West connectors as "Share The Road" streets.

*Miscellaneous*
* Create a "Bike Station" at 9th & Haven, following the removal of the
temporary visitors center. To include bike racks & lockers, air/water
station, benches, wayfaring signage, green space, etc (in conjunction with the placement of the Haven Ave Bike Route sculpture) 
* Create a "Bike Station" at the new library facility.
* Create a "Bike Station(s)" at city-owned property adjacent to
Boardwalk - location(s)?

*

West Ave

: re-stripe those areas which have not been recently
engineered to include expanded bike lanes; sepa rated with bollards if
possible. Ocean City's southend ( 34th St south) is impossible to safely travel by bike for the families and/or recreational bikers. Re-designing Wst Avenuewould be helpful as an alternative (in the short term) to the development of the rail-trail from

36th St to 50th St

- 14 blocks as a

Haven Avenue

"connector".  
* Add bike racks at beach street-ends, downtown, public facilities, etc: city hall, annex, playgrounds, ballfields, bayside center, etc. Encourage private (commercial) businesses to paticipate: corner business locations downtown, acme, superfresh, cvs, wawa, banks, etc 
* Develop and encourage biking as transportation to our schools - Safe Routes To School Programs and grant money available
* Reduce speed limits and add traffic calming measures throughout town
wherever and whenever possible 

 

* * Expand the Haven Avenue Bike Route to include 9th St to Battersea Rd, (and North to the Longport Bridge). * Expand the Haven Ave Bike Route to include the Southend: 50th to 56th St.* Plan/implement safe crossings at 55th st, 34th st, 9th st and Battersea Rd@ Haven Ave. * Reduce speed limits on from 5th to 18th Streets to 15 MPH * Introduce "" in the downtown. * Introduce mid-block crosswalkson , with bike racks curbside. This could initially be introduced on the 800, 900, or 1000 blocks as a pilot program. * Reduce speed limits to 15mph on from 6th to 18th Streets. * Add 4 way stops at intersections: 5th, 8th, 10th, 14th & 18th Streets. * Develop the East/West connectors from through the downtown and t o the Boardwalk; 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 14th, 18th, and 24th streets. * Improve crosswalks from to (and East) on 5th (north side - westbound bike traffic), 6th (southside - eastbound bike traffic), 8th, 10th, 14th & 18th. * Create these same East/West connectors as "" streets. * Create a "" at 9th & Haven, following the removal of the temporary visitors center. To include bike racks & lockers, air/water station, benches, wayfaring signage, green space, etc (in conjunction with the placement of the Haven Ave Bike Route sculpture) * Create a "" at the new library facility. * Create a "" at city-owned property adjacent to Boardwalk - location(s)? * : re-stripe those areas which have not been recently engineered to include expanded bike lanes; sepa rated with bollards if possible. Ocean City's southend ( 34th St south) is impossible to safely travel by bike for the families and/or recreational bikers. Re-designing Wst Avenuewould be helpful as an alternative (in the short term) to the development of the rail-trail from - as a "connector".  * Add bike racks at beach street-ends, downtown, public facilities, etc: city hall, annex, playgrounds, ballfields, bayside center, etc. Encourage private (commercial) businesses to paticipate: corner business locations downtown, acme, superfresh, cvs, wawa, banks, etc * Develop and encourage biking as transportation to our schools - and grant money available*  

 

* * Expand the Haven Avenue Bike Route to include to , (and North to the Longport Bridge). * Expand the Haven Ave Bike Route to include the Southend: to * Plan/implement safe crossings at 55th st, 34th st, 9th st and @ * Reduce speed limits on from 5th to 18th Streets to 15 MPH * Introduce "" in the downtown. * Introduce mid-block crosswalkson , with bike racks curbside. This could initially be introduced on the 800, 900, or 1000 blocks as a pilot program. * Reduce speed limits to 15mph on from 6th to 18th Streets. * Add 4 way stops at intersections: 5th, 8th, 10th, 14th & 18th Streets. * Develop the East/West connectors from through the downtown and t o the Boardwalk; 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 14th, 18th, and 24th streets. * Improve crosswalks from to (and East) on 5th (north side - westbound bike traffic), 6th (southside - eastbound bike traffic), 8th, 10th, 14th & 18th. * Create these same East/West connectors as "" streets. * Create a "" at 9th & Haven, following the removal of the temporary visitors center. To include bike racks & lockers, air/water station, benches, wayfaring signage, green space, etc (in conjunction with the placement of the Haven Ave Bike Route sculpture) * Create a "" at the new library facility. * Create a "" at city-owned property adjacent to Boardwalk - location(s)? * : re-stripe those areas which have not been recently engineered to include expanded bike lanes; sepa rated with bollards if possible. Ocean City's southend () is impossible to safely travel by bike for the families and/or recreational bikers. Re-designing would be helpful as an alternative (in the short term) to the development of the rail-trail from to - as a "connector".  * Add bike racks at beach street-ends, downtown, public facilities, etc: city hall, annex, playgrounds, ballfields, bayside center, etc. Encourage private (commercial) businesses to paticipate: corner business locations downtown, acme, superfresh, cvs, wawa, banks, etc * Develop and encourage biking as transportation to our schools - and grant money available*  

 

 

 

- Current - Expansion as a transition (?) ; (over, under, or through) major safety concern of all residents in attendance ) bike lane – 34 to 58 St” not roadways (48th), but people feel safer than on , which is a county road bikeway * * Expand the Haven Avenue Bike Route to include 9th St to Battersea Rd, (and North to the Longport Bridge). * Expand the Haven Ave Bike Route to include the Southend: 50th to 56th St.* Plan/implement safe crossings at 55th st, 34th st, 9th st and Battersea Rd@ Haven Ave. * Reduce speed limits on from 5th to 18th Streets to 15 MPH * Introduce "" in the downtown. * Introduce mid-block crosswalkson , with bike racks curbside. This could initially be introduced on the 800, 900, or 1000 blocks as a pilot program. * Reduce speed limits to 15mph on from 6th to 18th Streets. * Add 4 way stops at intersections: 5th, 8th, 10th, 14th & 18th Streets. * Develop the East/West connectors from through the downtown and t o the Boardwalk; 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 14th, 18th, and 24th streets. * Improve crosswalks from to (and East) on 5th (north side - westbound bike traffic), 6th (southside - eastbound bike traffic), 8th, 10th, 14th & 18th. * Create these same East/West connectors as "" streets. * Create a "" at 9th & Haven, following the removal of the temporary visitors center. To include bike racks & lockers, air/water station, benches, wayfaring signage, green space, etc (in conjunction with the placement of the Haven Ave Bike Route sculpture) * Create a "" at the new library facility. * Create a "" at city-owned property adjacent to Boardwalk - location(s)? * : re-stripe those areas which have not been recently engineered to include expanded bike lanes; sepa rated with bollards if possible. Ocean City's southend ( 34th St south) is impossible to safely travel by bike for the families and/or recreational bikers. Re-designing Wst Avenuewould be helpful as an alternative (in the short term) to the development of the rail-trail from - as a "connector".  * Add bike racks at beach street-ends, downtown, public facilities, etc: city hall, annex, playgrounds, ballfields, bayside center, etc. Encourage private (commercial) businesses to paticipate: corner business locations downtown, acme, superfresh, cvs, wawa, banks, etc * Develop and encourage biking as transportation to our schools - and grant money available*   * * Expand the Haven Avenue Bike Route to include to , (and North to the Longport Bridge). * Expand the Haven Ave Bike Route to include the Southend: to * Plan/implement safe crossings at 55th st, 34th st, 9th st and @ * Reduce speed limits on from 5th to 18th Streets to 15 MPH * Introduce "" in the downtown. * Introduce mid-block crosswalkson , with bike racks curbside. This could initially be introduced on the 800, 900, or 1000 blocks as a pilot program. * Reduce speed limits to 15mph on from 6th to 18th Streets. * Add 4 way stops at intersections: 5th, 8th, 10th, 14th & 18th Streets. * Develop the East/West connectors from through the downtown and t o the Boardwalk; 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 14th, 18th, and 24th streets. * Improve crosswalks from to (and East) on 5th (north side - westbound bike traffic), 6th (southside - eastbound bike traffic), 8th, 10th, 14th & 18th. * Create these same East/West connectors as "" streets. * Create a "" at 9th & Haven, following the removal of the temporary visitors center. To include bike racks & lockers, air/water station, benches, wayfaring signage, green space, etc (in conjunction with the placement of the Haven Ave Bike Route sculpture) * Create a "" at the new library facility. * Create a "" at city-owned property adjacent to Boardwalk - location(s)? * : re-stripe those areas which have not been recently engineered to include expanded bike lanes; sepa rated with bollards if possible. Ocean City's southend () is impossible to safely travel by bike for the families and/or recreational bikers. Re-designing would be helpful as an alternative (in the short term) to the development of the rail-trail from to - as a "connector".  * Add bike racks at beach street-ends, downtown, public facilities, etc: city hall, annex, playgrounds, ballfields, bayside center, etc. Encourage private (commercial) businesses to paticipate: corner business locations downtown, acme, superfresh, cvs, wawa, banks, etc * Develop and encourage biking as transportation to our schools - and grant money available*