Letter From Mayor: Update on Roads and Bulkheads
In a letter to the public, Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian provides information on capital improvements under construction.
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Mayor Jay Gillian posted an open letter to citizens on Friday that outlines infrastructure improvement projects currently under way.
March 22, 2013
Dear Friends,
Since Wednesday was the first day of spring, I thought it was a great opportunity to share with you some of the details of the city’s 2013 capital plan.
For many years, the city allocated approximately $5 million per year toward capital projects, with between $1 million and $2 million going toward road and drainage improvements. This year, due to sound financial planning and the adoption of responsible operating budgets, we were in position to recommend to City Council a much more aggressive level of investment.
In January, the City Council adopted my administration’s recommended five-year capital plan, which provides for an average of $10 million of improvements, with approximately half that amount devoted to much-needed roads and drainage. Even before Superstorm Sandy hit, our plan was to increase capital spending with the objective of addressing much of our neglected infrastructure.
The city has a comprehensive approach to the capital program that benefits every area of our island. We developed this plan with input from our professionals and the members of our community. The following projects are currently under construction:
Bulkheads at:
- Battersea Road
- Glen Cove (off 10th Street)
- 12th Street
- 16th Street (with new tide check valve.)
- Tonga Harbor (off Tennessee Avenue)
- Marcus Harbor (off Tennessee Avenue)
Paving projects at:
- 7th Street from West Avenue to the Boardwalk
- 8th Street from West Avenue to the Boardwalk
- 11th Street from Central Avenue to the Boardwalk
- Pennlyn Place (entire length)
- West Avenue from 8th Street to 9th Street
A major road and drainage improvement project for Merion Park is in the design phase. Consulting engineers and city staff are working closely with neighborhood residents in the planning of this long-awaited project. The administration’s intention is to have this project out to bid by summer for a fall construction start.
The utility companies are also undertaking a great deal of work between now and summer. I have directed our team to make certain that the repaving of these areas is done in the appropriate manner. Please be aware that currently many of the areas that appear to be in disrepair are only temporary restorations. Weather conditions will soon allow these areas to be properly repaired.
As you can see, the City Council and I are committed to improving the infrastructure of our town. I hope you can be patient with us as we rebuild roads and bulkheads. I look forward to continuing to work with City Council and our residents on future capital plans.
You can review the full five year capital plan on our web site: www.ocnj.us
Warm regards,
Jay A. Gillian
Mayor
Denise Fisk-Baj
6:24 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
Like the Skatepark you promised---the least you could do is find a place to put some temporary equipment up for the kids---unless you ordered what was left to the trash?? It's been 2 years Mayor...... Don't you think the kids have waited long enough for your empty promise????
http://oceancity.patch.com/articles/letter-to-editor-spurned-skater-blasts-mayor-in-verse
Denise Fisk-Baj
6:45 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
What is it gonna take ---one of our kids getting killed before you make good on your empty promises????????
Mr. B
7:22 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
why would one of them get killed? I'm lost on this one.
Frank
8:56 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
I agree Mr. B. In 2013 we teach our children they can do whatever they want without consequence. I suppose it would be too much to ask them to look out for their own safety and realize if they choose to skate in the road that it is a shared responsibility. It is the same as teaching children to look both ways before crossing the street. However this seems to be an old - fashioned philosophy.
One Duh Bear
1:54 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
I guess the Mayor doesn't think people teach their children how to cross the street etiher so he painted yellow curbs at the Intermediate School! I think he said it was a safety issue! I don't remember any kids getting killed here crossing the street. And let's not forget the 6th St. street end that is not safe for the MS bikers. Safety only matters to him when it's an inconvenience for his business or residence. The kids should take their skate boards to his pier or home if they want him to keep his promise of a new skate park!
Eric Sauder
10:27 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
I can’t miss an opportunity to say something positive so here it is. The deterioration of our infrastructure requires that we adopt a more aggressive capital plan and I’m glad the City is embarking on one. Going forward I hope more is done out of the operating budget to maintain streets and bulkheads and the like. It really isn’t good practice to borrow money for what should be routine, ongoing maintenance, but the truth is we’re so far behind that it has become a necessity. And it is a positive that residents of Merion Park are being consulted over what needs to be done to improve drainage in their neighborhood. Whether their recommendations will be considered is yet to be determined. From what I heard the City seems intent on doing what it already determined it would do (elevate the streets) before those residents were consulted, and is likely to implement that approach even though the residents I talked to don’t see it as a solution to the problem..
In regard to the condition of our streets the root cause has yet to be addressed. Unless something is done about street openings, those streets will be in just as bad a condition a couple of years from now (when they are once again covered in patches) as they are today. And I can’t help but notice that most of what is scheduled for repaving is in the boardwalk sector. As for me I try to avoid driving thru town. My car can’t take the pounding.
Eric Sauder
10:34 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
To the credit of the Mayor he rejected a special tax assessment for street improvements and incorporated it into the capital plan. I'm not holding my breath that builders will be held responsible for the mess they're making out of our streets, but that is precisely what should be done. I don't understand why it is incumbent on the tax payers to clean up after them.
George
7:35 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Interesting that all those streets that will be paved lead to Jayland.
OC Raiders
9:24 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Weak. What? Someone is going to say, Nice paved road. Mind as well got the water park.
Colonel
8:57 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Other than the four privileged blocks in the 40's that were paved on Asbury AV last year, there isn't a single street paving listed for south of 34th St. in the new projection. It is nice to see all the necessary work being done, but the orphans south of 34th need Asbury paved from end to end. It's really a total mess.
vic
10:45 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
skateboarding in the street is indeed dangerous. so dangerous, in fact, that it is against the law for anyone to skateboard in the street in ocean city. several of my neighbors have been stopped by the police.
OCLocal
5:12 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
One Duh Bear - Grow up.
One Duh Bear
9:17 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Why grow up? We live in Neverland--never going to see sand pumped in the south end, never going to see a new skate park etc. etc.
Finallycallsochome
3:54 pm on Monday, March 25, 2013
When is the Mayor going to send a message about the grants to raise homes? We need an update on the Hazard Mitigation Grants for Ocean City residents.