It feels like a long time in the making, but Ventnor bike lanes will finally become a reality this summer. This means that anyone can now safely bicycle through every one of the Absecon Island communities in one stretch. Instead of fighting vehicle traffic to get from your Margate summer rental to the Atlantic City Boardwalk, now you and your family and friends can take a leisurely ride on your bicycles. Stop along the way for a little shopping and a bite to eat or head straight on to AC. Great exercise and a less stressful ride all in one. Nice!
Ventnor Bike Lanes
The Atlantic Ave bicycle lane ends at Jackson Ave on Atlantic City’s border. But, once you hit Jackson, head south to Boardwalk and ride on up to your final destination anywhere along the Jersey Shore without incident. The City of Ventnor expects to submit a request to reduce the speed limit along their stretch of Atlantic Avenue. Currently, it’s 35 mph. However, they’d like to reduce it 25 mph to match the other three Absecon Island communities. This helps make it safer for bicycle and pedestrian traffic.
This month, the Department of Public Works is accepting bids for the re-striping of Atlantic Ave. Part of the re-striping efforts include a five-foot bicycle lane with an additional two-foot buffer from vehicle traffic. DPW expects to decide which bid to accept sometime in May. Re-striping should then be completed by July 4th.
Bike Lane Grant
Ventnor’s plan for bike lanes along Atlantic Ave has been in the works for quite a while now. Back in October of 2016, they partnered with their neighbor, Margate City, to create a Ventnor-Margate Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. From this plan, Ventnor received a $190,000 grant last year. This money was used to connect to the Atlantic Ave bikeway already in place in Margate City and Longport. In addition to the bikeway grant, the City received $800,000 for sidewalk upgrades/construction, bump-outs, lighting and landscape along the new bike path.
It’ll be wonderful when the new bike lanes become official. Think about how much easier it’ll be to get to any one of the beaches along the Jersey Shore. No more searching for a parking spot. Just ride up on your bike, lock it up, and head out for a day of fun in the sand and surf. Fantastic!
Sherri Lilienfeld, Apex Prime Realty, Your Source for Jersey Shore Real Estate