CAPE MAY — “We’re in the heart of the season right now and there’s a lot of people biking in Cape May, so just a reminder to folks to please follow the rules of the road and ride with traffic,” Councilman Steve Bodnar said July 15.
The warning comes after City Manager Paul Dietrich said there was an accident over the previous weekend on Broadway in which a bicycle collided with a vehicle.
“It’s real life and it happens all the time,” Dietrich said. “We don’t want to see anybody hurt, [both] residents or the people who come here to visit. We want you to enjoy your time and go home safely.”
Bodnar added that people driving should be aware of cyclists who may not be riding on the right side of the road.
“Everybody has their head on a swivel, taking in the beautiful beaches and architecture, but hopefully this will remind them to focus on using the bike lanes,” Bodnar added.
Pedestrian/bicycle bridge
City resident Gary Snyder expressed concerns about the proposed pedestrian and bicycle bridge project connecting Cape May and West Cape May.
Snyder provided an informational sheet on bicycle traffic, which included the number of cyclists he and other residents had counted over the July 4 weekend.
“There are options here and we think that improvements along Broadway can make a safe, low-cost and low-impact alternative to the proposed bridge,” Snyder said. “There’s an option here that we encourage the city and committee to look at further.”
West Cape May resident Jeff Gott said he is opposed to the proposed bridge and asked City Council to look into other alternatives.
“The residents of West Grant Street are very willing to get rid of their three spots on West Grant Street and make a dedicated bike lane,” he said.
Another West Cape May resident, Ted Mlynarski, also expressed his safety concerns about the proposed bridge.
“My concern is that we’re taking a situation from West Cape May and simply moving it over and exacerbating the situation in Cape May,” he said.
He added that he also has environmental concerns about the wetlands and the potential for flooding.
“My house is right on the creek and last week the water from the downpours we had went from Cape May right out the south meadows as it should,” he said. “I have a big concern about the bridge being put in there with berms and causing flooding situations.”
Mlynarski said he wanted to invite the mayor and council to visit his house to see a vantage point of the project site that nobody else sees.
“You’ll be surprised that you see from my back deck, a clear view of First Avenue in Cape May, Cape Island Creek and obviously the Cape May side of the municipal lot,” he added. “Ideal times are to come during beautiful beach days or weekends between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. when you can really see the amount of traffic and U-turns that happen here.”
By RACHEL SHUBIN/Special to the Star and Wave
