Your Money: $1.5 Million for Bikeway Project in Washington Township and Monroe Township
Monday, August 29, 2016
Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger and Freeholder Heather Simmons announced today that Gloucester County will receive $1,500,000.00 in funding from the Regional Transportation Alternatives Program for the Washington Township and Monroe Township Bikeway Project.
Director Damminger said, "This is a significant grant award that will help link existing bike and multi-use trails in Gloucester County's James G. Atkinson Park to Washington Lake Park. This project will also add new trails and crossing beacons in two locations to increase safety for bikers."
“Bikeways are a safe transportation alternative to cars and can be utilized to improve the health and well-being of our residents by enhancing their recreational opportunities and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle within the community,” Damminger added.
Freeholder Heather Simmons, who serves as liaison to the Gloucester County Department of Public Works said, “Hiking and biking not only improves health and fitness, but is also beneficial to the environment. Increasing the number of multi-use trails we have in our region can help reduce the impact of noise and pollution for all of our residents.”
Simmons said, “We have a very active biking community in Gloucester County and these new trails will get a significant amount of use.”
Simmons noted, that the project is currently in the design stage and the funds received will be used for “on and off” road construction of a bikeway and multi-purpose trail connecting Bunker Hill School to Washington Lake Park and James Atkinson Park as well as installation of flashing warning signs at two locations.
The bikeway project construction will include:
· Linking an existing multi-purpose trail within Washington Lake Park to an existing multi-purpose trail at James J. Atkinson Park.
· Constructing a new multi-purpose trail within the Bunker Hill School and the Fred Smith Tract property.
· New multi-purpose trail links will be added within Washington Lake Park and the Washington Township Fire House to an on-roadway bike network connections to Greentree Road (CR 651) and to Holly Dell Drive.
· The on-roadway bikeway connections will be along Holly Dell Drive (connection from Washington Lake Park to James Atkinson Park), Greentree Road (CR 651) and Pitman Downer Road (CR 658).
· Two flashing warning beacons are proposed as part of this project. One for the crossing at Greentree Road into Washington Lake Park and another non-contiguous beacon for an existing crossing at the Gloucester County Multi-Purpose Trail at Fries Mill Road (CR655) in Monroe Township.
The project will take approximately two years to complete.