Editor, Asbury Park Sun,

There is something glaringly missing in this city: safe streets. There are seniors, teens, children, cyclists, skateboarders, rollerblades, and wheelchairs on every sidewalk and roadway throughout the city all year long. Asbury Park streets are unsafe for everyone, including those in cars.

Every day, residents and visitors move through the city on streets that were designed in the previous century, and updated in the 1960’s for cars only. Asbury Park residents are at risk just trying to cross Main Street, a four-lane state highway NJ Rt. 71.

Recently, the New Jersey Department of Transportation recognized that our Main Street is dangerous and offered to cover the expense to reconfigure it. This road diet would create three lanes, with one traffic lane north and south, a center turning lane, and bike lanes. This would also include parking on both sides of the street. This plan has been implemented in hundreds of cities all over NJ and the US, and received positive testimonials from businesses, residents, and emergency personnel. But the Asbury City Council inexplicably turned down the plan and funding.

It seems that there is a lack of understanding of the extensive research compiled by urban planners and engineers. There also seems to be a fear that cars won’t be able to continue to drive as fast as possible through the city and delivery trucks won’t be able to double park.

Asbury Park Complete Streets Coalition would like to help make city streets safer for all users. We need better crosswalks, lights, bike racks, and bike lanes. We need a city council that cares about the way people move through the city and a plan to create an equitable transportation system.

Please support Asbury Park Complete Streets Coalition: look at our Facebook page, check out our data, share it, and stay tuned for news of events and initiatives. Let’s make Asbury Park a gem of a city by the sea for all residents and visitors.

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The Asbury Park Sun is affiliated with the triCityNews newspaper.