Princeton NJ Hopewell Press Releases
NJDOT COMMISSIONER STEPHEN DILTS TO ATTEND STREETSCAPE PROJECT AWARD CELEBRATION
A community celebration is planned for Monday, October 26th, at 11am when New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner Stephen Dilts presents a $917,000 check to Hopewell Borough for its Streetscape Improvements Project, Phase II. The major grant award, publicly announced on August 11th, is funded in part through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act via NJDOT’s Transportation Enhancement Program. The ARRA-TE grant represents the largest sum ever awarded for a Borough project.
Commissioner Dilts will present the award to Mayor Paul Anzano and Borough Council members at the celebration, to be held at the intersection of Broad Street and Greenwood Avenue, the site of the project’s completed Phase I. Mayor Anzano said he expected a strong showing from enthusiastic property and business owners, as well as other project beneficiaries, noting the strong community support.
“In these difficult economic times, because of the stimulus funding, Borough businesses and residents are seeing a return on their tax dollars that will have an immediate and permanent positive impact," Mayor Anzano said. “The facelift Broad Street will receive will positively affect economic development activity, which in turn will positively affect residential property values.”
Borough Councilman Mark Samse, a landscape architect and the project’s lead designer who donated his time and services to develop the streetscape concept, expressed appreciation upon hearing the funding news. “This significant award furthers our long term vision for the downtown area and we are grateful for the generosity of NJDOT and for their investment in the Borough," he said.
Originally developed in 2001 as a four-phase improvement project, the Hopewell Borough streetscape plan encompasses the central business district from Mercer Street to Elm and blends pedestrian safety and traffic calming elements with historic features such as hitching posts and replica lighting, representative of Hopewell’s historic past. Other key design elements are new landscaped areas, street furniture and red or gray sidewalk pavers.
Phase 1, installed at the Broad and Greenwood intersection, was completed in 2008 under the initial 2005 NJDOT TE grant. Those improvements established the theme for the project, now slated to continue in the spring of 2010. Phase I enjoyed very positive reviews by businesses, residents and visitors.
Phase II will target additional improvements in key downtown zones on East and West Broad Street including areas at the Mercer St., Seminary and Princeton Avenue cross streets. In addition to the themed improvements, imprinted crosswalks and ADA-compliant curb ramps will be installed, as well as new entry signs at the Broad Street municipal borders to accent the downtown area and aid in traffic calming.
In the event of inclement weather, the celebration will be relocated from the Broad & Greenwood intersection to the Hopewell Park Gazebo, near the park entrance at S. Greenwood and Columbia Aves.
For more information about the October 26th event or about the Hopewell Borough Streetscape Project, please contact Michele Hovan, Hopewell Borough Administrator, at 609-466-2636/Michele.Hovan@hopewellboro-nj.us.
