Vineland gets $20 million, green-lighting avenue redesign
VINELAND — The wishing is over. A federal grant for $20 million to execute a major redesign of Chestnut Avenue is on the way.
The U.S. Department of Transportation grant is coming out of its Safe Streets and Roads for All Program. Vineland made a request for the $20 million in September 2022 and agreed to contribute as much as $5 million to secure the grant.
The city has been surveying residents and answering questions about the project since last year. The concept plan is pegged on the city website. The focus is a roughly 2.25-mile stretch between Delsea Drive (Route 47) and Main Road.
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“The work required is substantial, which without this grant would place a severe financial burden on Vineland taxpayers,” Mayor Anthony Fanucci said.
“We are working to finalize our outreach and survey by the end of March, then revise our concept plan for presentation to City Council,” city engineer David Maillet said.
Fanucci thanked work to secure the grant by U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew and U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez and Cory Booker.
Like the mayor, the three federal legislators stressed the anticipated improvements to safety. There were more than 660 accidents in the targeted area between 2012 and 2016.
“My office has been working on this for quite some time and I certainly want to echo Mayor Fanucci’s sentiment,” Maillet said. “Congressman Van Drew was instrumental to get the funding across the finish line.
South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization, SJTPO consultant Urban Engineers, the city Health Department, and concept designer T&M Associates have been “diligent” in aiding the city, Maillet said.
The idea was raised publicly in November 2021. A year later, engineering work was authorized.
Chestnut Avenue has four travel lanes, two east and two west. That design dates to the early 1970s, when the avenue added two travel lanes.
As proposed, the avenue would be reduced to one travel lane in each direction with a middle lane for left-hand turns. There are 27 intersections also in line for signal and signage improvements.
The city plan can be accessed at Chestnut Avenue Safety Concept - Vineland, NJ (vinelandcity.org).
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.
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This article originally appeared on Vineland Daily Journal: Vineland NJ gets $20 million grant for redesigning Chestnut Avenue
