Two Tinton Falls roads to get sidewalks
BY LINDA DeNICOLA
Staff Writer

TINTON FALLS - The Borough Council voted last week to appropriate $101,744 for the 2006 sidewalk construction program from the general capital fund reserve.

Bryan Dempsey, borough business administrator, said the money is for sidewalks in two areas: Heritage Boulevard to Liberty Park II, and for a stretch of Tinton Avenue from Bradford Circle to the area where the firehouse is located.

He explained that the new location of the park does not have sidewalks, so children would have to walk along the curb on West Park Avenue.

"It's so they can safely travel from Heritage Boulevard to the park," he said.

Dempsey explained that the funding comes from funds that the Planning Board gets from applicants, money that goes into the Sidewalk Trust Fund.

"The Planning Board gives applicants the option of installing sidewalks, or placing money in the sidewalk trust," he said.

Dempsey added that the borough gets requests for sidewalks from residents all of the time.

"We will do them when money becomes available," he said.

Council President Brendan Tobin said last week that the sidewalk program is prioritized based on two issues: pedestrian volume and safety.

"This time out, we had enough to put a sidewalk in from the site of the old Liberty Park in Park Place 2 to the new Liberty Park down West Park Avenue. People are currently forced to use a shoulder of a very busy road to get to the new park, with the old park given back to the developer in an agreement between the developer and the former administration. Now, they will get a safer way to get to the new park," he said.

He explained that the Tinton Avenue section was chosen for safety reasons.

"It's across from the Tinton Falls School where kids cross at the crossing guard and then walk in the street past three houses and then cross the firehouse parking lot."

Tobin said, "We have other sidewalk projects for the future, when we get more money in."

Dempsey said that there is money in the budget to establish a road program.

"When we move forward with that, there may be consideration for curbs and sidewalks if needed," he said.

According to the funding ordinance, the purpose is to undertake sidewalk construction throughout the borough. It can include repairing and/or installation of sidewalks, as well as all of the ancillary items that go along with sidewalks, like curbing, driveway aprons, retaining walls, curb ramps, drainage work, permits, engineering and design work.