Bayside township now has million reasons for new bikeway

Joseph P. Smith, Vineland Daily Journal
·2 min read

MAURICE RIVER — Christmas Trenton-style came early here with notice that a $1 million grant is approved to pay to create approximately 10 miles of bikeway, once the township settles on a final scope and route.

In concept, Mayor Ken Whildin said, the bikeway route will start from a much smaller existing one in the Matts Landing area in Heislerville and drop onto Route 49.

“We have a conceptual plan,” Whildin said. “It could deviate some from that, but I don’t know how much. (Route) 49 runs east and west. Once you get to 49, you’re pretty limitless. You can go all the way to the bridge to the west or the ocean to the east.”

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Whildin said Maurice River heard Dec. 13 from the New Jersey Department of Transportation of the award, something the municipality had been working toward for more than three years.

Whildin said the NJDOT Bikeways grant probably is the largest grant of any kind that Maurice River Township has received.

Maurice River Township Municipal Building. August 2021.
Maurice River Township Municipal Building. August 2021.

“The Township Committee of Maurice River looks forward to working with our community leaders to see this project through,” Whildin said.  “This bikeway will enable the township to connect to some of our surrounding municipalities, increasing the appeal of our Bayshore Area as a destination rather than a pass-through.”

Besides finalizing the design, the project still must be advertised for bids for construction. The anticipated starting period is the end of 2023 or early 2024, Whildin said.

It’s a long haul from here but Upper Township in Cape May County is a starting point for many bike excursionists in the region because of the Tuckahoe Bike Shop. “It’s a very well-known bike shop,” the mayor said.

Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey more than 30 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times.

Have a tip? Reach out at jsmith@thedailyjournal.com. Help support local journalism with a subscription.

This article originally appeared on Vineland Daily Journal: Bike route from Heislerville to Rt. 49 has million-dollar boost