Central Avenue Streetscape and Roadway Improvement Project 2020

The Central Avenue Special Improvement District Management Corporation (CASID) is pleased to announce that the City of Jersey City has initiated plans for a Central Avenue Streetscape & Roadway Improvements project. This highly anticipated, and very necessary, rehabilitation project will be implemented this year (2020) and replace all sidewalks and repave the roadway in the shopping district. Additionally, this rehabilitation project will correct technical issues in the streetscape including lighting, compliance with State roadway regulations, and placement of new trees. Central Avenue’s very busy urban streetscape has received a punishing amount of wear-and-tear during the past 25 years. The CASID organization has advocated for these improvements a long time and greatly appreciate our partners at City Hall, especially Mayor Steven Fulop, the late Councilman Ward D, Michael Yun, Councilman-At-Large, Daniel Rivera, and new Councilman Ward D, Yousef Saleh, for giving this matter the attention it deserves.

The City of Jersey City awarded a professional service contract to French and Parrello Associates to prepare plans and specifications for this project in January 2020. A contract to Cifelli & Son Construction, Inc was then awarded in August 2020 for the construction. The City’s dedicated team of professional engineers in the Division of Engineering, Traffic, and Transportation will oversee this project.

In The Press:

Project Background:

The last big streetscape enhancement project on Central Avenue was between 1994 and 1996 when the City of Jersey City undertook a $1.5 million capital improvement initiative for the area between Manhattan Avenue and North Street. That project was dedicated on October 30, 1996, and won an honorable mention in Downtown New Jersey’s 1997 Excellence in Downtown Awards. Since then, the tremendous amount of wear and tear on the busy urban thoroughfare caused streetscape conditions to deteriorate. After nearly two and a half decades sidewalks became uneven and patchy throughout the district, the roadway was full of craters from various utility projects over the years, lighting fixtures and sewer catch basins became antiquated, and the district was not in compliance with a series of new local and state traffic regulations. The need to modernize and rehabilitate the streetscape has been a pressing issue for the CASID. The organization launched a campaign in 2015 to improve the safety and walkability of the shopping corridor.

Project Cost/ Budget/ Funding:

The City of Jersey City will use State AID and Capital Funds to pay for this $4 million project. In 2018, Governor Murphy announced $161 Million in Municipal Aid Grants to 505 New Jersey communities including Jersey City. The City’s State Aid award of $2,370,990 will be used to pay a large portion of the Central Avenue Streetscape and Roadway Improvement Project. There is no additional cost to the SID or its members.

The Plans:

With the help of French and Parrello Associates, Jersey City Engineers took great care to address the many streetscape challenges along Central Avenue in close partnership with the CASID and its members. Provided that the busy shopping district is ¾ miles long crammed with about 600 residential units and 240 storefronts, making the necessary upgrades to comply with local and state regulations was a huge engineering challenge. After careful consideration, the project plans for the reconstruction of sidewalks, installation of ADA compliant pedestrian access ramps, drainage improvements, LED-based lighting, and electrical improvements, utility relocations, new signs and markings for two way traffic, bicycle sharrows, more trees, new cross-street banner poles, and other public use improvements. Once the project is completed, Central Avenue will be a safer and more walkable main street community.

All new sidewalksNew bicycle sharrows & bike racks
ADA compliant pedestrian access rampsMaximum number of legal parking spaces
Drainage improvementsNew benches & litter receptacles
New LED lighting fixturesRepave entire roadway
More shade treesModern signage & safer traffic markings

Construction:

The effects of COVID-19 on the local economy have been devastating, to say the least. Additionally, the businesses along Central Avenue provide critical goods and services to the surrounding community. The City of Jersey City and CASID is did everything possible to keep businesses open and operational during construction. Communication was key and the CASID took lead throughout the project, therefore, avoiding surprises to local stakeholders. Cifelli & Son Construction is the contractor for this project. The family-owned company holds over 40 years of experience and is excited to begin working in early September. The construction will be phased in two blocks at a time to maximize work efficiency and the least amount of interruption to the district.

Construction Schedule:

UPDATE 2/22/2022

Here is an estimated schedule for the remaining work. Please note all dates are tentative.

Construction has completed sidewalk, milling/paving, and striping as of December 2021.

PSE&G began work from Paterson Plank Rd towards Graham St in February 2022.

This work will take approximately three (3) months as PSE&G will be replacing approximately 150 poles, it is scheduled for the crew to install 2-3 poles per day so they anticipate approximately 60 working days. Attached is the public notice from Jersey City, if you have any further questions please feel free to reach out to the CASID office.

Communicate with Project Officials:

The Central Avenue SID will be the main point of contact and liaison on this project for the community and SID members. This is a huge project involving over 200 residential and commercial properties, 240 storefront businesses, and a very active commercial corridor with a building stock that is largely over 130 years old. Many questions, concerns, and special requests will arise which is why the CASID will take the lead to coordinate communication between project officials and local residents/ businesses to ensure proper responses are provided.

Completed Improvements:

How to Care for the Streetscape

• Businesses must sweep adjacent sidewalks, at the very minimum, upon opening & closing.
• Restaurants Need to Remove Sidewalk Grease Stains Regularly. Contact CDS for SID discount pricing on stain removing service. Ph: (862) 234-9902
• Report garbage illegally dumped outside of collection times or overflowing litter receptacles to the City (201) 547-4900 and CASID: (201) 656-1366. You can also report quality of life issues using the “Jersey City Connect” app on your smartphone or tablet.
• TREES are not a place for garbage on collection nights. Please keep clear and clean