Safer Walking Access For Children Coming To Chatham Roadway

CHATHAM, NJ — New safety improvements will soon be added to a section of Shunpike Road to help all Chatham Township school aged children walk from the Lafayette and Washington Avenue Elementary schools safely.

The township recently held a public presentation outlining the work that will be done on Shunpike Road. According to the project proposal, the town intends to build an ADA-compliant sidewalk along the south side of Shunpike Road between Pine Street and Falmouth Road.

The total cost for construction is estimated to be around $650,000, however, that total price will be reimbursed through the Federal Safe Routes to School Program.

The project is being funded by the New Jersey Safe Routes to School program, a federally funded reimbursement program that aims to enable and encourage children to walk and bike to school.

According to officials, the grant is only available in areas within two miles of a K-8 school where students already walk or bike to school. Currently, more than 40 percent of students walk or bike to both Lafayette and Washington Avenue Elementary schools, the presentation said.

"There have been reported complaints and safety concerns with the lack of sidewalk, as students are forced to cross Shunpike Road at non-signalized intersections to access the sidewalk on the north side of the road," the township said.

The construction is not expected to affect access to homes on Shunpike Road, according to officials, because the plan is to keep all current driveway access and the existing roadway.

According to the presentation, construction work will be done during the day and will be done one block at a time, east to west. All roadways are also expected to remain open, and no road detours are currently planned.

The anticipated project timeline calls for the final design to be completed by the end of the year, with construction likely to begin during the summer, when school is not in session.