Upgrade to downtown coming...
New traffic signals, curbs, sidewalks included in $1.54 million project
By DANNY ADLER
New traffic signals, new curbs and sidewalks, and freshly painted crosswalks are coming to Bridge Street and South Pennsylvania Avenue as part of a $1.54 million improvement project in Morrisville, officials said.
The borough will hold a groundbreaking ceremony next week to mark the beginning of “this important community initiative,” which is being paid for by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. The bridge commission began awarding the borough money in 2005 to improve traffic conditions and “walkability” and foster downtown revitalization.
The funds are part of $40 million in grants going to towns along the Delaware River with bridge commission bridges stretching from Morrisville to the New York border, the bridge commission has said.
The project will bring new curbs, sidewalks and crosswalks on West Bridge Street from Pennsylvania to Cox avenues and on South Pennsylvania Avenue from Bridge Street to Philadelphia Avenue, officials said.
New traffic signals will be installed at the intersections of Delmorr Avenue and Bridge Street, and Pennsylvania Avenue and Bridge Street. A landscaped median island is planned for East Bridge Street from the Lower Trenton Toll Supported Bridge — the “Trenton Makes The World Takes” bridge — to Delmorr Avenue.
“It will make it much more pedestrian friendly and safer,” borough council President Nancy Sherlock said of the improvements. “It’s definitely a safety issue as well as a beautification issue.”
Work on curbs and sidewalks on South Pennsylvania Avenue under the railroad bridge already has begun, borough Manager George Mount said. Work on West Bridge Street will begin soon, and the project is expected to be completed by the end of August or early September, he said.
The groundbreaking takes place at 11 a.m. July 30 at the Mill Stone at the corner of East Bridge Street and North Delmorr Avenue.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
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13 comments:
Not to dredge up the past or anything, but couldn't this revitalization of traffic lights, walkways, curbs, etc. have been an augmentation to the Gateway Center plan AND couldn't it have been tailored to address the problems and issues complainers brought up about the Gateway plan? There was money, obviously, already on its way to Morrisville for these issues, yet someone made it a point of contention.
< shakes head >
Anyway, I'm glad there is SOME headway on the road to downtown revitalization.
This is good, but we can't just depend on grants from the Bridge Commission to rebuild the downtown. This will just give drivers, passengers, and pedestrians a nicer, safer streetscape from which to observe the blight.
By the way, this is the same Bridge Commission some accused of being underhanded in its dealings with the Morrisville Economic Development Council (EDC) over the Gateway Project, which would have been built mostly on Bridge Commission land. I'm just wondering if, in their principled moral purity, those same people shouldn't be advocating Morrisville's refusal of filthy ill-gotten Bridge Commission grant monies?
The real agenda points in this town are make the most noise and the least progress as possible. As far as I can see, everything went according to plan.
I'm sure the complainers will find something about a grant of $1.5 million dollars that is objectionable and will drag even this slow progress to a halt.
I just remembered that I asked council about this project in my public comments at the May 19th meeting at which Gateway was torpedoed. I thought I was pretty clear with my question, but council seemed to give me a collective puzzled look, as though they didn't know what I was talking about. I asked about it because I remembered council talking about it about 6 months earlier and then hadn't heard anything, and I figured it was affecting a large portion of Bridge Street, including the part where Gateway was proposed.
George Mount kindly answered my question during a break in the meeting.
Oh, wonder who's gonna show for the groundbreaking photo-op?
Does anyone know if any of this money will go into our park? Planting trees? Paving graveled areas. Adding playground equipment? Boat launch potential that could draw in people?
Have the considered helping the pool? Rebuilding the lower pool or improving that space at least? working on privacy around the pool?
Planting flowers and trees throughout the borough? Putting speed bumps by the schools?
$1.5 million is a lot of money that could truly benefit these areas and the community.
My guess is the funds are probably earmarked for specific improvements, which may have ruled some of those things out, but it would be nice to see an enlightening posting from someone on council.
$1.5 million doesn't go as far as it used to. Why, I remember back in the day when I'd take my girl out to the movies, we'd each get banana splits afterward, and after the bus ride there and back, I'd still have change left over from the nickel I brought with me.
Geeze Jon, you're a heck of a lot older than I thought.
Speaking of photo op, anyone interested in making up a few political signs and hanging out on Bridge Street at the Millstone next Wednesday, say, oh about 11:00 am?
Potential signs:
"Transparency in Government"
"What's the plan, Hell-Man?"
"Work together, don't take us apart"
"Save The Cheerleaders (and their school district), Save The World (or at least Morrisville)"
I'm hoping they will swing the new sidewalk along Philadelphia Ave.
It's nice to see some NEW things on my side of town! Now if we can just get along side the train tracks cleaned up.
One small step at a time!
Did anyone notice that several council members and the Manager all attended a conference, and they all spent more than the spending caps in place for their attendance. The council unanimously approved payments to these individuals to cover their excess expenditures. What was just as curious is that the amounts all differed quite a bit. I suppose this is another example of the borough council being completely two-faced when it comes to these issues. You can bet your ass that if this had been someone involved with the schools, certain high public officials would have been screaming fraud and malfeasance. But we all know that self-righteousness is a powerful cloak behind which some people try to hide. I think we can see through this one.
To Anonymous Whistleblower:
I noticed that also. I was wondering if someone had drinks with dinner or the surf and turf, while someone else just had coffee and a sandwich.
Well, at least council folks are attending conferences and gaining additional knowledge about their responsibilities. More than can be said for the school board.
Me ii, Perhaps you should amend your statement to "More than can be said for SOME members of the school board." Still, WTF!! with the cost overruns? If these folks were approved to attend, and they knew they had a spending limit, why did they exceed it? and why is it alright to come back afterward and ask for more money? Come on Mr. High Public Official, where's the outrage? Excuse me, but I think your hypocrisy is showing again.
Figures, all's quiet, because like Crane Style, done right, no defense.
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