CELEBRATING THE SUNSET LAKE FOOTBRIDGE RESTORATION AND REOPENING Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony on Friday, June 23 at 4 p.m.
6/14/17 Asbury Park, NJ – Closed off since 2012’s Hurricane Sandy, a landmark as old as the City of Asbury Park itself is open and ready for the City to enjoy again. Restoration work was completed this month on the Sunset Lake footbridge, connecting Emory Street from Fifth Avenue to Sunset Avenue across Sunset Lake. An official ribbon-cutting reopening ceremony will be held on Friday, June 23 at 4 p.m. on the Fifth Avenue side of the footbridge.
“The bridge has only been open for a week, and it’s already been completely embraced by the City,” said Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn. “People are walking their dogs across the footbridge, incorporating it into their jogging routes, biking across it, and sitting on the benches to enjoy the views with their children.”
“In a city defined by its bodies of water, Sunset Lake is the only one of Asbury’s lakes which is fully contained within the City,” said member of the City Council and the Sunset Lake Commission Eileen Chapman. “We are so delighted to see this footbridge open, contributing to the rejuvenation of Sunset Park and Sunset Lake.”
The footbridge has been closed since Hurricane Sandy, in October 2012. Its restoration was largely funded by FEMA, and included full replacement of the bridge, as well as enhancements to bridge-adjacent parts of the lake and park.
The project represented a chance not just to replace the bridge, but to improve it. While keeping to the FEMA requirement that the bridge be restored to its pre-storm condition, the project was able to enhance the footbridge’s aesthetic appearance, update it for current code requirements, and strengthen it against possible future storm events.
Work began on the footbridge in late November of 2016. The project included demolition of the footbridge, pile driving, new bulkhead installation, construction of the new bridge, light installation, railing and bench installation, concrete site work, and landscaping.
The original construction date for the footbridge isn’t clear, but records exist for the 1888 reconstruction of an Emory Street Bridge, updated to carry streetcar tracks for trolleys running from Deal Lake to the Central Business District. Historic aerial photographs and postcards show the bridge going back to 1930, with a 1945 rebuild to remove the trolley tracks, which were by then out of use. The only documented repair for the footbridge was for a full deck replacement in 2006.
It’s Happening Now!
Gearing up for another summer season in Asbury Park. This is shaping up to be a great summer, and we can feel the vibe already! Let’s all be safe and be aware of everyone on the roads.
News: Transformation of City Hall
This is an exciting part of the Transit Village designation and will include Green Acres space.
http://asburyparksun.com/proposals-sought-to-transform-city-hall/
News: City Hall Transformation
Plan includes mixed use complex with roof top rain gardens, parking garage, commercial spaces, & residences
This is an exciting part of the Transit Village designation and including Green Acres space.
Tri City News: Main Street reconfiguration support!
Dan Jacobson is in our corner! Thanks for sticking with this story and following it to the conclusion which was the resolution by city council to approve the NJDOT Main Street reconfiguration plan. Main Street as we know it (and pictured above) will be made safer for everyone-walkers, bicyclists and drivers. NJDOT funds will cover the cost of improved design and infrastructure with a road diet consisting of one northbound lane, one southbound lane, a left turning lane, bike lanes and parking. Work is to begin at the end of this summer.
Is infrastructure, or lack thereof sexist?
Yes, yelling at female cyclists is sexist. Is infrastructure sexist too?
While it isn’t universal that women have experienced the extent of jerk male bike rider behavior (aka sexism) described in this article, most (really, most-the data shows it) women who love to ride bikes are afraid. They’re not necessarily afraid of being yelled at or run off the road. They just don’t feel safe. Only the bravest and toughest female bike riders attempt to ride on the roads in NJ due to lack of, or non-existent infrastructure for bicycling. That leaves almost exclusively men on the road. This creates a culture of bike riding as a non-female-friendly activity, preventing women from riding their bikes.
https://ggwash.org/view/63608/yes-yelling-at-women-cyclists-is-sexist
NJ Pride Festival-APCSC Table
The APCSC table at the NJ Pride Festival was well-staffed by members of the group, and we all had great conversations about complete streets and our initiatives with the city. Thanks to those who stopped by to ask questions and learn about how infrastructure will make Asbury Park a world class destination and a wonderful place to live.
Planetizen: Sticky Streets
Sticky Streets-“The word “sticky” when applied to the urban design context has come to mean attractive and comfortable—the kind of place that makes people want to stay, and make return visits. Detroit is the latest city to experiment with the concept.”
AP obviously doesn’t need to build a beach on Main Street, but there are lots of other ways we can make our streets sticky!
“A sticky street is a term coined by Netizen’s Brent Toderian, former director of City Planning in Vancouver B.C., a sticky street is simply one where human beings like to hang out. To walk on, bike on, sit at cafés and sip coffee on, do multiple errands and have multiple interactions on.
Here’s Toderian’s definition:
“Streets aren’t just for moving people – streets [are] for people to enjoy and linger, not just move through. Great places are both initially attractive, and ‘sticky’ once you get there. A place is sticky if people love it, and don’t want to leave.”
Charles Mahron; An open letter to the City of Springfield
We can be grateful that Asbury Park has resolved to calm the traffic on Main Street, thereby making crossing the street safer for everyone…and avoiding a possible legal action like the one facing Springfield and The city of Los Angeles, which recently agreed to pay $9.5 million dollars in a wrongful death lawsuit for a similar situation.
“I last visited your city in December of 2014, the night a mother and two children were struck on State Street crossing from the library to the parking lot. One of the children was killed. I am not aware of any traffic calming measures that have been taken since that tragedy, despite pleas and protests from some of your residents. The inaction speaks volumes.”
https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2017/5/29/an-open-letter-to-the-city-of-springfield
Watch this entertaining and revealing video:
Smart Growth America: National Complete Streets Coalition
Streets are a vital part of livable, attractive communities. Everyone, regardless of age, ability, income, race, or ethnicity, ought to have safe, comfortable, and convenient access to community destinations and public places–whether walking, driving, bicycling, or taking public transportation. But too many of our streets are designed only for speeding cars or creeping traffic jams.
https://smartgrowthamerica.org/program/national-complete-streets-coalition/