Main St beautification?

[anon-35q0]

This is ridiculous. One has to wonder do we really need this? It seems more like a major nuisance, both in the short and long term. N. Main st is a very busy road and by making the road narrower will create a traffic nightmare.

[anon:31-0qs4]

The mayor says this will not make the street narrower. That may be so but the bump outs will have an effect on traffic flow. The flow will be slower which may not be a bad thing, but the proximity of pedestrians to the moving traffic will increase the possibility of pedestrian/vehicle accidents.
One other thing that we should consider is that we are always told that "Grants" are a good reason to implement these projects. I think its about time that Cranbury as well as other towns pay for their own projects and not expect others to provide us with those "Improvements". My educated guess is that there would be much less of these frills improvements if we had to dig in our own pockets and pay for them. At the end of the day will business increase or decrease? will accidents increase or decrease? Will the historical character be improved? --only time will tell but I'm not betting on a positive outcome, just more $$$ being spent.

[anon-p336]

If Cranbury does not get the grant some other town will so why not improve our town?

I have heard a number of people say the bump outs put people closer to traffic and risk accidents. I politely disagree. Walk Cranbury Neck rd where there is a sidewalk right up on the Rd., N. Main after the light, the cross walk at West Minster across from the bank or the cross walk by the history center. All are by the rd and you never have card go up on a sidewalk to hit people.

Now think of Main St in these areas. How many times did people step out in front of a car parked by the pizza place that you did not see. I like bump outs because in a congested area it makes it easier to see people.

I also like the idea that our down town will look even nicer. I want to thank the volunteers for their work making Cranbury beautiful.

[anon-97on]

[Susan Goetz]

Actually, the intersection improvements will address all sides of each intersection in the project area. At the Main Street and Park Place intersection, all four corners are being addressed. The sidewalks will be redirected so that pedestrians will walk straight across instead of at the angle that currently exists. This is anticipated to improve the line of sight for both pedestrians and drivers. The curbs will be sloped to give individuals who may have some difficulty walking an easier access to the sidewalk also.

At Schoolhouse Lane, both sides of the Lane on the west of Main Street (school side) will be reconfigured with the same concept of giving a better line of site and an easier pedestrian (and wheelchair, walker and stroller) access. The larger area should also make it nicer for the student walkers and their parents to stand and wait for the crossing guards.

On the eastern side, there will be a wider bump out to again provide the improved line of sight and access. Note that this bump out was also specifically configured to avoid removal of the lovely tree at this location. The Beautification Committee thought of everything.

While we anticipate that the area will be greatly improved by this effort, the project is going to pose a bit of a challenge to the homeowners and businesses on this block. I urge all of us to make an extra effort to visit the businesses and restaurants during this period. Access will always be available.

[anon-0p83]

The bump outs appear to make the street quite narrow compaired to its current width. I noticed the markings today and if the white lines are the new curb's this could create a problem in response times for first aid and fire. At the intersection of North Main and the road to the school, it looks quite narrow for a bus, as well as the police officer directing traffic! As far as speed is concerned and slowing down traffic, I really don't notice people traveling at a high rate of speed down Main st during the day. The few times I have gone out late at night is a different story, but even with the narrowness of the road with these bump outs the lack of traffic at night will not slow anyone down.

[anon-921r]

A few comments.

The bump outs are on both sides so that is good news for the one poster above and I agree with the danger at park place as well. The bump out should help with visibility.

To the other poster on first responder and police. That was my thought as well, but the police, school and first responders were consulted and I understand the bump outs work for the vehicles.

I actually really like the project and as an avid walker in town speeding is a huge issue. If it causes one or two cars to slow down and thus slow down cars behind them then it is a success in my book.

[anon-4sn5]

I don't know who is managing the work process, but it's senseless to pour concrete when the temperature is below 50 degrees. All of this work will probably fail in the next few years and the township will need to repair it or sue the contractor and/or the township engineer.

Here are a few tips that any professional should know (from About.com):
Cold Weather Concrete Objectives

When concrete is being managed under cold weather, concrete must be protected from freezing shortly after being poured. Also concrete must be able to develop required strength for the safe removal of forms

Cold Weather Concrete Recommended Tips

Follow these recommended steps to assure that concrete in cold weather will obtain the required design strength.

Keep a well-define temperature record chart including concrete temperature and exterior temperature.
Never pour concrete on frozen ground, snow, or ice.
Use concrete curing blankets to prevent freezing and keep the concrete at optimal curing temperature.
Use insulation blankets or heated enclosures to maintain concrete temperatures above 50° degrees Fahrenheit for three to seven days.
Fresh concrete frozen during the first 24 hours can lose 50% of its potential 28 day strength
Maintain the concrete temperature above 40° degrees Fahrenheit for at least four more days after the use of the insulation blankets or heated enclosures.
Temperature of the concrete cannot drop faster than more than 40° Fahrenheit in 24 hours.

Cold Weather Concrete Temperatures

Temperatures for placement and protect concrete in cold weather are recommended under ACI 306. The objective of the ACI 306 is to keep concrete warm, over 5 degrees Celsius, for the first 48 hours, where concrete strength development is critical. When concrete is being placed below 5 degrees, but is not below freezing point, concrete will take longer to develop the required strength. Note that removing formwork when concrete is too cold or hasn’t reached desired strength, could damage concrete strength and surfaces and concrete might collapse.

Using frost blankets and insulated formwork could be necessary to protect concrete. Insulated forms or temporary covers could provide sufficient insulation in beams, columns and walls.

[anon-2430]

It's a base for a sidewalk - not a road or a bridge. It will not be supporting heavy loads. The actual sidewalk will be built on top of the concrete - I believe it will be natural stone.

[anon;451-0qs4]

We should not worry because the money being spent is "Grant "money. We have spent millions of $$$ on projects from baseball fields to roads that have failed due to poor oversight and not one time has a "Professional" been held accountable by the Township of Cranbury. We just look the other way and pay to have the repairs made at taxpayers expense.

[anon-sp08]

[anon-921r]

[anon-4091]

I think the posters that are questioning and bringing up the fact that quality control may be a problem here and the history of our township engineers is nothing shy from scandelous to incompetent are very relevant things to discuss.

Glad we are improving our town. . Disappointed to see however the general lack of stewardship with our tax dollars from Federal down to grass roots municipal spending.

Don't be discouraged from posting how you feel. Opinions and discussion are welcome here. Not everone wants to hear the liberal spin or have opposing opinions belittled.

[anon-921r]

[anon-4491]

Liberal mindset and behavior coupled with poor fiscal responsibility is not necessarily party affiliated. I've seen bad decisions regardless of the party the elected official belongs. With that said, I think those getting paid and or appointed not necessarily the elected people might be the problem.

[anon-065r]

Th poster was making massive hyperbole and misstatements not supported by actual facts. They only listed one specific example, the baseball field, and a bunch of unspecified vague ones like unnamed road projects that allegedly failed. Then they claimed that no one had been held accountable, ignoring the they public dismissal of the Township Engineer involved with the ball field and the near litigation the Township got into with that firm.

As for "liberal mindset," on what basis would you associate alleged fiscal irresponsibility or government waste with the word "liberal"? Certainly not on any factual basis. As noted above, wasteful spending and government management is not party-specific. But to make the generalization that it is "liberal" would imply that overall it is more associated with the liberal party which just isn't the case. Consistently the conservative party when in power has outspent the liberal party in this country. The conservative party is responsible for most of our national debt. Even today a huge chunk of the current increment to the debt is the interest accumulating on the debt created by conservative leaders.

For someone to look at either major US political party or their specific "liberal" or "conservative" policy adoption and call it fiscally responsible is ill-informed. Just because a group calls itself "fiscally conservative" doesn't mean it is. It's the hallmark of most political-speak, as so aptly articulated in George Orwell's 1984 to try and own the language by calling yourself the opposite of what you really are. That's certainly true of the Republican/conservative party calling itself fiscally conservative. The Democrats are no better, though Clinton was the only recent fiscally conservative President from either party.

That there is massive waste in government spending and that as a society we are spending more than we can afford is unquestionable. That this has any barring on "liberal" vs "conservative" is ridiculous. Stop fooling yourself. If you are serious about responsible spending you would certainly not look toward either major US political party and certainly not to the Tea Party which is really just a social reactionary agenda posing as a fiscal one, though only the truly ignorant still buy that lie.

As how any of this has to do with Cranbury politics, it simply doesn't. It's silly to impose national political rhetoric on what is happening here because they have nothing to do with each other except in some people's minds.