Boro Begins Complete Streets Planning

Chatham Borough streets are about to become a little more friendly for pedestrians, cyclists and, well, anybody who uses them.

The borough recently became the first New Jersey town to win a $7,500 grant from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) to develop a Complete Streets plan and policy.

The grant is provided by by ANJEC's Sustainable Land Use Planning Grant program, which is funded by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.

According to Cindy Steffens, the chair of the borough's Green Initiatives Committee, "The Complete Streets plan will lay the groundwork to help Chatham Borough develop a network of safer streets, crosswalks and pathways that will encourage more people to walk and bike all over town. Complete Streets accommodate all users – pedestrians, bicyclists, public transit users, senior citizens, and people with disabilities – as well as motor vehicles."

Mayor Nelson Vaughan said the purpose of the plan was to promote the well-being of all those who live in and utilize the borough's streets. “We want to encourage people to safely walk and bike around town. It’s good for their health, and it’s good for the environment.”

Members of the Complete Streets Committee include Vaughan, Steffens, Councilmen Bruce Harris, Jim Collander and Len Resto, Planning Board Chair Rich Crater, Alan Routh of the Board of Education, Traffic Safety Officer Robert Sweetin, Lee Byrd, Janice Piccolo and Complete Streets Team Leader John Tancredi. The team is being facilitated by professional planners Susan Blickstein and Amy Pfeiffer.

The team held their first meeting on Sept. 21. “There were a lot of great ideas at the kick-off meeting,” Tancredi said. “We are looking forward to creating a terrific Complete Streets plan for Chatham Borough."

Anyone interested in joining the committee or contributing their ideas can contact Janice Piccolo at jpiccolo@chathamborough.org or 973-635-0674 ext. 200.