The City of Pleasantville has been awarded a $1.5 million grant for the planned pedestrian bridge over the Atlantic City Expressway thanks to Senator Cory Booker’s consistent advocacy.
Mayor Judy Ward stated, “This bridge is designed to provide a safe pedestrian/bicycle connection between the neighborhoods and the Pleasantville High School and Middle School. Forcing students to walk on Route 9 is very dangerous.”
The city has been working closely with the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) to gain funding for this project.
Senator Cory Booker noted, “Pleasantville was cut in half in 1969 when the Atlantic City Expressway was built. This bridge will reconnect the City providing safe access for students as well as the general public.”
Pleasantville High School and Middle School are located near the intersection of two of the region’s most heavily trafficked roadways, which makes the schools difficult to access on foot or by bike. Students walking and biking to school must spend considerable time along and/or crossing busy roadways in order to arrive at school. The pedestrian bridge will allow students from southern Pleasantville to have a dedicated pathway across the Atlantic City Expressway and encourage safer passage across Route 9 in order to access the bridge. The bridge will follow along Mill Road. Approximately 67% of Pleasantville’s school age population lives south of the Atlantic City Expressway.
In 1997, the Feasibility Study of Pedestrian Bridge and Access Ramps at Exit 5 of the Atlantic City Expressway was completed. The feasibility study examined the potential impact of a new exit ramp and pedestrian bridge as part of larger improvements to circulation in Pleasantville in the vicinity of Route 9. The study found that the pedestrian bridge would “reduce the possibility of pedestrian related accidents, by redirecting students from some of the at-grade crossings in the vicinity of this interchange.” The ramps were built without the pedestrian bridge.
The total project cost is estimated to be $8.5 million. The city recently applied for a federal grant to fund the remaining cost of this project. The grant applications were prepared by Rutala Associates, a local planning firm.
The SJTA has committed to oversee the construction of the proposed pedestrian bridge and ensure the maintenance of the bridge for its useful life.
Photo credit: Joe Wiessner Realty
