Our cool little town of Red Bank has recently seen another addition to its ever more hazardous streetscape. The borough has installed a “parklet” on the at the busy junction of Monmouth and Broad.
This “parklet” was spitballed at a “presentation” to the mayor and council by the boss of the Red Bank RiverCenter in March ’24. Several residents present at the meeting raised questions about the proposal, including its proximity to a dangerous and highly polluted intersection, being in the shadow of a bus maneuvering zone, and suggestions of more appropriate sites and ways of spending the cost – +$70k.
Nevertheless, the offer was gratefully acceptedby the council at its April meeting, observing that the Borough, “… finds that the Project would be beneficial to the Monmouth Street streetscape and complement the Borough’s separate and simultaneous project to improve the roadway and other streetscapes on Monmouth Street.” Resolution 24-79
Work on the facility commenced later in the summer, but without a preliminary site inspection, so when construction met a series of “unforseen” obstacles such as waterpipes, utilities and an underground oil-tank, work on the parklet was suspended for several weeks. In fact, it was such a mess that director of the River Center, Bob Zuckerman, had to send out a reminder that adjacent businesses remain open. Red Bank Green 16/9/2024
PS: At least one business adjacent to the site has closed in the meantime…
Of course, this was a complete surprise, bearing in mind that the street improvements to the adjacent “Broadwalk” scheme was plagued by similar delays and required an extra $2million to re-install the various utilities exposed.
I drove past it within the last few days, February 2025, and work barriers and marker cones were still standing around active construction. And without going back and measuring the sidewalk
I doubt that it meets ADA specifications for safe sidewalks.
No doubt it’ll be touted as yet another council triumph. I can’t wait for the opening celebrations and proclamations for the “Bob Zuckerman Park“ and attendant selfie gurning…
