NJDOT Bikeway Grant 2015 – Atlan c City Atlan c City Bike Loop BIKE

NJDOT  Bikeway  Grant  2015  –  Atlan9c  City   Atlan9c  City  Bike  Loop   BIKE-­‐2015-­‐Atlan9c  City-­‐00044   Scope  of  Work   Construc)on   of   a   three   mile   Bike   Loop   that   extends   along   the   world-­‐famous   Atlan)c   City   Boardwalk,  around  the  eastern  )p  of  Absecon  Island  to  Gardner’s  Basin,  and  then  returning  on   Rhode   Island   Avenue   to   Madison   Avenue   to   New   Jersey   Avenue.   This   project   will   connect   many   points  of  interest  including:  Garden  Pier  which  includes  the  City’s  Art  and  History  Museums,  the   Atlan)c   City   Aquarium,   McClinton   Park,   public   beaches,   various   restaurants   and   shops   at   Historic  Gardner’s  Basin  and  Uptown  Park.  There  are  also  many  public  restrooms  located  along   this   bike   path   at   Garden   Pier,   the   Caspian   Avenue   Life   Guard   Sta)on,   and   Historic   Gardner’s   Basin.   Bicycling  on  the  Boardwalk  is  restricted  aPer  10  am;  however,  the  City  of  Atlan)c  City  intends   not  to  restrict  biking  on  the  Bike  Loop.    Features  of  this  path  will  include:  restriping  exis)ng  City   streets,  the  promenade  and  Boardwalk  areas;  dis)nc)ve  signage  throughout  the  Bike  Loop  and   on   nearby   streets   to   direct   bicyclists   to   this   facility;   mill   and   overlay   of   a   short   sec)on   of   connector   roadway   between   New   Hampshire   Avenue   and   the   entrance   of   Historic   Gardner’s   Basin;   walkway/bikeway   expansion   at   the   rear   entrance   of   Historic   Gardner’s   Basin;   and   construc)on   of   bikeway   between   the   Uptown   School   and   the   Uptown   Park.     Striping   and   sharrows   will   be   used   to   minimize   accidents,   signage   for   wayfinding   will   be   incorporated,   and   rest  areas  with  bike  racks  will  be  provided.    Dis)nc)ve  bike  racks  will  be  provided  at  the  Caspian   Avenue  Beach,  Historic  Gardner’s  Basin,  the  Uptown  Park  and  Garden  Pier.   The  new  bike  path  sec)on  will  be  built  of  low  maintenance,  durable,  imperious  materials  and   will  include  decora)ve  ligh)ng,  benches,  landscaping  and  trash/recycling  receptacles.    The  City   of   Atlan)c   City   will   ensure   that   the   proposed   improvement   conforms   to   the   current   design   criteria  of  the  appropriate  American  Associa)on  of  State  Highway  and  Transporta)on  Officials   (AASHTO)  publica)ons.   This  project  meets  each  of  the  Project  Selec)on  Criteria:   New  Mileage  -­‐  This  Bikeway  project  will  result  in  the  construc)on  of  3.0  miles  of  new  bikeway   mileage  as  recommended  in  the  Bikeway  Grant  Program  Handbook.       Safety  -­‐  This  new  Bikeway  promotes  safety  in  that  it  is  separated  from  motor  vehicles  by  open   space  as  recommended  in  the  grant  criteria.    Much  of  this  Bike  Loop  will  be  off-­‐road,  providing   the  ul)mate  safe  bike  route.    The  on-­‐road  areas  will  be  dis)nc)vely  marked  with  striping  and   sharrows  to  alert  drivers  of  bicyclists.  

Connec9vity  -­‐  The  proposed  Bikeway  promotes  connec)vity  by  connec)ng  the  famed  Atlan)c   City  Boardwalk,  which  provides  bike  access  from  the  downbeach  communi)es  of  Ventnor  and   Margate  to  Atlan)c  City.     Improved  Access  -­‐  This  Bikeway  provides  improved  access  to  many  points  of  interest  including   Gardner’s  Basin,  McClinton  Park,  Uptown  Park,  Steel  Pier,  various  residen)al  neighborhoods  and   the  Atlan)c  City  Beaches,  to  name  only  some.   Con9nua9on  –  The  NJDOT  has  invested  in  other  Bike/Pedestrian  projects  in  the  City  of  Atlan)c   City,  most  recently  the  crosswalk  improvements  on  Absecon  Boulevard.   Construc9on   Ready   –   The   City   of   Atlan)c   City   has   secured   funding   from   the   Army   Corps   of   Engineers,  NJDEP,  FEMA,  and  NJDCA  to  improve  the  Boardwalk  area  along  Absecon  Inlet.    These   improvements  will  be  under  construc)on  star)ng  in  the  fall  of  2014.    The  City  is  commided  to   comple)ng   this   Bike   Loop   within   twelve   months   of   grant   approval.     There   are   no   major   permits   or  right  of  way  acquisi)ons  required  for  this  project.   Timeliness  -­‐  The  Bikeway  project  will  be  completed  within  twelve  months  on  Authoriza)on  to   Proceed  as  detailed  below:   MILESTONES    

 

TIMELINE    

Start  of  Design         Final  Design         Adver)se  &  Receive  Bids     Award  Contract/No)ce  to  Proceed   Start  of  Construc)on       End  of  Construc)on      

           

0     2   4     6     7   12  

Part  of  a  Bicycle  Network  in  the  Master  Plan  –  The  New  Jersey  Department  of  Transporta)on   commissioned  a  Bike  and  Pedestrian  Study  for  the  City  of  Atlan)c  City  in  2013.    This  study  was   completed   by   Baker   Engineering.     One   of   the   major   recommenda)ons   of   this   study   is   the   Atlan)c  City  Bike  Loop.  This  Bike  Loop  is  also  recommended  in  the  “Bicycle  Facili)es  Inventory  &   Analysis”  prepared  by  Cross  County  Transporta)on  Management  Associa)on,  dated  December   2005.       Community   Support   –   There   is   a   great   deal   of   community   support   as   demonstrated   by   the   leders  provided  herein.   Past  Performance  –  The  City  has  worked  with  the  NJDOT  in  the  past  and  has  closed  out  previous   State   grants   on   schedule.     The   City   recently   received   approval   from   NJDOT   to   commence   the   bidding  process  for  a  CMAQ  Grant  to  purchase  compressed  natural  gas  vehicles.      

Consistent  with  State  Priori9es  –  The  City  of  Atlan)c  City  is  one  of  the  few  municipali)es  that   have  formally  adopted  a  Complete  Streets  Policy  that  is  consistent  with  State  guidelines.