SIDEWALK, CROSSWALK, AND SIGNALIZATION IMPROVEMENTS
WOODSTOWN BOROUGH, NJ
McCormick Taylor assisted Woodstown Borough to create a safe route of transportation for students who attend and walk to the elementary and middle schools within Woodstown Borough through a Safe Routes to School grant.
THE CHALLENGE
As a small, relatively dense municipality with areas of significant vehicle traffic, Woodstown Borough recognized the importance of a complete sidewalk network to ensure pedestrian safety. Although the Borough strived to create a safe, walkable community, especially in the vicinity of its two schools, the Mary S. Shoemaker Elementary School and the Woodstown Middle School, gaps existed due to a lack of funds.
HOW WE HELPED
Through a Safe Routes to School grant that Woodstown Borough received, McCormick Taylor designed sidewalk, crosswalk, and signalization improvements near two schools.
At the Mary S. Shoemakeer Elementary School, a crosswalk was installed across East Millbrooke Avenue. This improvement included two ADA-accessible ramps; a walkway leading towards the main entrance of the school; two solar-powered, push-button activated flashing school crossing signals; and advanced school crossing warning signs along the roadway.
The project also included improvements to Bailey Street, Alloway Road, and Old Salem Road. The Bailey Street (County Route 616) sidewalk improvement completed gaps in a 1,200-foot-long walkway from Lotus Avenue to the Borough Boundary, the preferred walking path of students living in nearby affordable housing units. The improvements also included the installation of solar-powered, push-button-activated flashing crossing signals.
The Alloway Road (County Route 603) sidewalk had a 200-foot gap in the 610-foot-long walkway from Bailey Street to Liberty Avenue. The project eliminated the gap to improve walkability in the area, especially as 14 of the 60 units in the Freedom Village subdivision house students.
For Old Salem Road, a 380-foot gap in the 790-foot-long walkway situated on the west side of the road from Bailey Street to Liberty Avenue was completed with new sidewalk. Much like Alloway Road, Old Salem Road is used by students residing in the Freedom Village subdivision. Due to the existing gap in the sidewalk, students enter the roadway from various, unsafe locations. These behaviors create a safety concern, as the area is heavily trafficked during the morning and evening rush hours.
RESULTS
The Borough of Woodstown now has a safer path for students to use to get to and from school. The improvements included continuous ADA-compliant sidewalks, driveway aprons, ramps, and signalized high-visibility crosswalks. The project’s construction was completed by Fall 2022.