Improvements To Shrewsbury Ave. Intersections Planned In Red Bank

RED BANK, NJ — The Borough of Red Bank would like to hear from the public about the proposed Shrewsbury Avenue Streetscape Improvement Program.

And to make that happen, there will be a Public Information Center program Nov. 20 to inform residents and businesses about the plans.

The program will be at the Red Bank Senior Center, 80 Shrewsbury Ave., from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 20.

During the meeting, the public can review project information, ask questions and submit comments and suggestions. Property owners with rental units are encouraged to advise tenants they can participate, too.

Red Bank "is committed to developing transportation improvements that best balance transportation needs, the environment, community concerns and costs," the borough said in a statement about the program.

And the borough has received a grant through the federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) to construct improvements along Shrewsbury Avenue. Streetscape improvements include:

• Lighting improvements
• Rain gardens and street trees
• Trash receptacles and benches
• ADA-compliant curb ramps and "bulb-outs" (curb extensions)
• Crosswalk striping and improved signage

The costs for construction are expected to be approximately $1 million, which will be reimbursed through the Transportation Alternatives Program, the borough said. Construction is expected to begin in early 2025 and be complete in early 2026.

Here are some facts about the area:

Shrewsbury Avenue is considered an "urban minor arterial" with a speed limit of 30 mph. The road width ranges between 34 to 45 feet, with street parking along both sides of the road.

There are sidewalks along both sides of the street, and curb ramps are present throughout the corridor, but not all are ADA compliant, the borough noted.

The borough already has a multi-year, ongoing pedestrian safety enforcement effort by the Red Bank Police Department, focusing on Shrewsbury Avenue, which has lots of pedestrian traffic.

And the need for pedestrian safety is underscored by some very serious statistics: In New Jersey in 2022, 193 pedestrians were killed in crashes with vehicles, according to Street Smart NJ.

This plan would expand safety measures, Interim Borough Administrator Darren McConnell said Monday, "by utilizing education, enforcement and engineering." This is the engineering phase of the project, he added.

"Right now (the borough is) in the planning stage and creating concepts. Once we have some final decisions, after public input, then final design will begin," McConnell said.

This project would better accommodate pedestrians, particularly vulnerable members of the population, such as the young and the elderly, the borough said.

Apart from the streetscape elements, two small rain gardens are being considered to provide landscaped areas, as an aesthetic improvement, that would also provide bioretention to remove pollutants from storm water runoff.

"The rain gardens are still up in the air a bit," McConnell said. "We are working on some drainage issues so that any features we install do not impede the flow of water into our storm sewer system," he added.

The project extends from Monmouth Street to Newman Springs Road along Shrewsbury Avenue.

Improvements will be constructed at the following Shrewsbury Avenue intersections:

• Monmouth Street
• Catherine Street
• Deforest Avenue
• River Street
• Oakland Street
• Bank Street
• Locust Avenue
• Drs. James Parker Boulevard
• Chestnut Street
• St. Mary's Place
• Sunset Avenue
• Herbert Street
• Earl Street
• Westside Avenue
• Drummond Avenue
• Leonard Street

If you can't attend the Nov. 20 program but are interested in reviewing the project plans and learning about the project, check the borough's website or contact the borough at the telephone number or email address listed below.

The public can submit comments after the Nov. 20 meeting to:

Interim Business Administrator Darren McConnell, Borough of Red Bank, 90 Monmouth St., Red Bank, New Jersey 07701, or he can be contacted by phone at 732-530-2710 or e-mail at dmcconnell@redbanknj.org. For additional information, see the borough website at www.redbanknj.org.

Provide comments no later than Dec. 4 to be included in the project record.