Northeast Second Avenue project to add sidewalks, crosswalks

This article appeared in the Sun-Sentinel on June 6th, 2017. Click here to read the article online.

By Joanie Cox Henry, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

The Northeast Second Avenue/Seacrest Phase I Enhancement Local Agency Program Project is slated to start at the end of August or early September in Delray Beach. Improvements will be made along Northeast Second Avenue from Northeast Eighth Street/George Bush Boulevard to Northeast 13th Street.

Residents looking for details on the project packed a conference room May 31 at the city of Delray Beach’s Environmental Services Department.

WGI has been contracted by the city to engineer the design of the improvements, which include reduction in travel lane width, 5-foot-wide sidewalks, dedicated bicycle lanes and decorative crosswalks.

Bicycle lane safety and removal of existing trees were some concerns among residents.

“The whole point of putting in bicycle lanes is to lessen the speed of traffic,” said Jodi McMasters. “My biggest concern is going south on Second through George Bush Boulevard. You can’t help but turn into the bicycle lane.”

She also wanted to know how many trees will be torn down to complete the project.

“We won’t be able to afford to replace the trees, so this is something that concerns me as well as other residents,” McMasters said.

Jason Bregman, who is a board member of Human Powered Delray, an organization dedicated to promoting safe and viable human-powered transportation throughout Delray Beach, lives four blocks away from Northeast Second Avenue.

“I ride my bike to and from work,” said Bregman, who is a designer and project manager of large-scale landscape and infrastructure planning projects. “This project will add more bike lanes, added lighting, added landscaping—it will be a great thing for the community.”

City engineer Tracie Lutchmansingh recently joined the project.

“I’m looking over all phases,” she said. “The community loves it and it will be a major improvement for that neighborhood.”

Lutchmansingh is working with Brett Oldford, WGI’s director of municipal engineering.

“I’m happy with the turnout and how engaged people are about this project,” Oldford said. “There’s no landscaping within this phase of the project, but we want to make sure we keep residents informed and communication open. There will be another meeting during construction.”