SAVE OCEAN AVENUE COMMITTEE NEWSBURST
WINTER 2024
Even in the cold weather we have seen many varieties of seagulls, birds, oyster catchers, ospreys, whales spouting, dolphins and even a bald eagle at the West End Avenue, green acre park. The different plants and sea grasses along the boardwalk and bluffs are of many varieties and beautiful to see. The goals of the SOA/LBCC committee continue to be pursued with the city of Long Branch;
1. Improve safety for all getting to and from the beach, especially crossing Ocean Boulevard safely, and on the boardwalk and in the two green acre no traffic parks. Finish the ideas, suggestions and improvements from the Vine Court Petition and discussions.
2. Improve the safety of the ocean front, from speeding and electric bikes and make the roadway and green acre parks safer.
3. Include more shade areas, flowers, art, and enforce the new keep off the bluff’s signs and beach rules. For everyone, make more available siting and shade areas during the hot summer months.
4. Improve and help create a more
complete and safer bikeway in the south green acre park along the ocean
front and boardwalk connecting the south and north green acre parks.
The Save Ocean Avenue committee (SOA) needs your support and if you want to receive our new blasts, send me your e mail to be put on the list.
Chairman Save Ocean Avenue Committee (SOA)
SOA NEWS BULLETIN
Aug 4, 2024
Hello everyone, hope you are all enjoying the boardwalk and ocean ,,,,,,,,,,
Sorry for the delay in the latest SOA news bursts. I hope you are all enjoying the boardwalk and numerous ocean life. We have seen many varieties of seagulls, birds, oyster catchers, ospreys, whales spouting, dolphins and even a bald eagle and nest at West End Avenue. Also the different plants and sea grasses along the boardwalk and bluffs are of many varieties and colors for all to enjoy.
The goals of the SOA/LBCC committee continue to be;
1. Improve safety for all people getting to and from the beach, especially crossing Ocean Boulevard, on the boardwalk and in the green acre no traffic parks.
2. Improve the safety of the ocean front, from speeding and electric bikes and to make safer and better walking and crossing conditions for people along Ocean Avenue. Include more flowers, art, sculptures, and enforce the new “keep off the bluff’s signs”.
3. Improve and help create a more complete and safer bikeway along the ocean front, and boardwalk connecting the south and north green acre parks.
We have worked with the city to implement these goals and also many suggestions we get from people using the boardwalk and roadways’ at the ocean front. We are also encouraging the county with the city for more improvements to safely crossing Ocean Boulevard. We thank the city for implementing many of our suggestions.The new “keep off the bluff signs” are for people not to jump the fence ruining the bluffs and avoid paying admission fees to the beach. With our encouragement the city has put up a permanent shade area with beautiful flower boxes and picnic benches at the bathroom at West End Avenue and disability beach. The new traffic parking lines on Howland Avenue help deter illegal parking to get to the beach.
We are continuing to meet with the city to discuss the Vine Court Ocean front petition submitted last year. Issues include; boardwalk safety,new ordinances and signage, more traffic and parking control, and increased police presence along the boardwalk, and green acre parks and Ocean Boulevard ,especially in the heavy summer months.
The Save Ocean Avenue committee (SOA) needs your support and if you want to receive our new blasts, send me your e mail to be put on the list. shermnp@aol.com or go to our web site which is interactive and has our organizations history.
Remember your voice counts !!!!!!! Use It !!!!!!
Dennis Sherman
Chairman Save Ocean Avenue Committee (SOA)
June 3, 2023
Hello, everyone, hope you are all enjoying the boardwalk and ocean during this warmer weather ,,,,,,,,,,
Work
is continuing to make Ocean
Boulevard safer for crossing and driving. This has been one of our main
S.O.A
committee goals for a long time. New repairs and construction have
started on
Ocean Boulevard at the corner of Brighton Avenue next to the Dunkin
Donut and
north. The intersection will be reconfigured and made safer. Also, two
new
cross walks are going to be added on Ocean Boulevard south of South
Bath Avenue
with appropriate signage, flashers, and safety additions to make it
safer to
cross Ocean Boulevard.
Another goal of the SOA committee has been to improve the safety for people riding bikes on Ocean Boulevard and Ocean Avenue by the boardwalk. It would be wonderful if we all could walk or ride a bike from Brighton Avenue where the south boardwalk starts to the promenade (north green acre traffic free park) at Seven Presidents Park with no or limited vehicular traffic, especially during high volume traffic during summer months. The two green acre boardwalk parks should be connected and traffic eliminated or reduced.
The city’s bike committee and state DOT are also very close to making the final bikeway path recommendations along Ocean Avenue/Ocean Boulevard by the south and north traffic free linear green acre parks along the boardwalk. Hopefully safer biking and walking in Long Branch will happen. As part of our agenda, the city has also put up yellow pedestrian crossing solid standing signs at each crosswalk from Howland Avenue to South Bath Avenue in the south linear green acre park next to the boardwalk. We have been meeting regularly with the city about these issues and the Vine Court Petition after last years “pop up” in Long Branch. The issues include; improving public and oceanfront safety and police presence.
I encourage you all to see and use the shade park benches and flower boxes at the south end boardwalk bathroom at West End Avenue. This intended shade area with shade umbrellas is one of the few places on the boardwalk, for sun relief and shade in the hot summer months. This is especially important to have if you can’t get down to the beach. We need more shade areas, especially for our senior citizen population and board walkers.
Soon, with our SOA committees’ urging, the city will put back up the 4 by 8-foot art boards at the beach access points for all to enjoy. These art boards are one-of-a-kind artful historic scenes of old Long Branch and are beautiful to look at while at the ocean front and beaches. These original art works picture the Seven Presidents who came to Long Branch regularly. They will be put up soon next to the Ocean Avenue roadway in the south green acre traffic free park next to Brighton Avenue and the south shade park. They will also be put up at beach access points along the boardwalk. The SOA committee got these boards painted and made over fifteen years ago and put them up on all the boardwalk bathrooms at each access point. The scenes showed the old fishing pier, the bluffs painted by the famous artist Winslow Homer and beach life and bathing suits worn in Long Branch during the 18 th and 19th centuries. The 4by8 art boards are beautiful for all to enjoy at the ocean front and are a main feature of the boardwalk which we had the city name, “The Ocean Walk” by ordinance many years ago.
Also, if you look closely on the east side of the boardwalk under the railings you can see where the SOA committee had the city put in little plagues marking every quarter of a mile up to the little flower garden memorial at Pier Village noting a plaque in memory of the Moss Mile. The quarter mile markers stretch from the beginning of the boardwalk at Brighton Avenue to Pier Village and can give you an idea of how far you walk or run in either direction.
More beautification, art works and sculptures, plaques on rocks along the boardwalk and oceanfront are needed. The boardwalk “Ocean Walk” is unique to Long Branch and the ocean front and should be further developed. This is only possible if supporters like you and the SOA/LBCC committees ask the city and public officials for their support. The Long Branch oceanfront is unique and has the only two green acre traffic free linear parks along the boardwalk in the state of New Jersey. The parks are for all to use and enjoy and for children to play in safely.
It is wonderful to look out to the ocean and see dolphins, whales, osyter catchers and ospreys in the sky and water. Our SOA logo pin on top left of this news burst has sky, sun, ocean, beach, boardwalk and a safe roadway to walk upon. If you look closely at the SOA logo pin it has seven waves ready to break on the beach. Each wave is for one of the Seven Presidents who came and stayed in Long Branch for Summer vacations and is part of the city’s rich history.
Remember your voice counts only if you use it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dennis Sherman
Chairman Save Ocean Ave
Committee
Apr 28, 2023
Hello, everyone, hope you are all enjoying the boardwalk and ocean during this slightly warmer weather ,,,,,,,,,,
Work is continuing making Ocean Boulevard safer for crossing and driving on. This has been one of our S.O.A committee goals for a long time. New repairs and construction have started on Ocean Boulevard at the corner of Brighton Avenue next to the Dunkin Donut. The intersection will be reconfigured and made safer. Also, two new cross walks are going to be added on Ocean Boulevard south of South Bath Avenue with appropriate signage and safety additions to make it safer to get across Ocean Boulevard.
We also have been told that the petition, which we submitted to the city, started at the Anchorage to add a new beach access point was discussed and is not possible at this time. A second petition concerning police presence, traffic control, parking, boardwalk fence jumping and other beach issues and concerns, and animal control, since last summers “pop up” and summer crowds is still being discussed with the city.
Besides the crossing of Ocean Boulevard and it being made safer, another goal of the SOA committee has been to improve the safety for people riding bikes on Ocean Boulevard and Ocean Avenue by the boardwalk. It would be wonderful if you could walk or ride a bike from Brighton Avenue where the south boardwalk starts to the promenade at Seven Presidents Park with no or limited vehicular traffic, especially during high volume traffic during summer months. The two green acre boardwalk parks should be connected, and traffic eliminated or reduced.
There has been good progress made by the cities bike committee, who has gotten the bike study grant, and is still collecting data for the grant. The committee has been collecting data from the public on where to put the bike way routes in Long Branch and new bikeway paths. Meetings have taken place with city, state, and county officials to complete the bike study grant. At the Arbor Day celebration this Sunday, bikeway representatives will be hosting a table with more information.
The Save Ocean Avenue committee (SOA) also will be hosting a table at the Broadway Arts and Cultural Center with many other groups and organizations. The Save Ocean Avenue Committee was started around 2003 as part of the Long Branch Coalition of Condominium Associations (LBCC) to help preserve and enhance the cities boardwalk oceanfront and beaches.
Stay
safe ,,,,,,,,,,
Dennis Sherman
Chairman Save Ocean Ave
Committee
COMPLETE STREETS SAFETY PROGRAM
The
City of Long Branch is developing a Complete Streets Implementation
Plan to improve travel options to all parts of the city - we are trying
to contact as many people as possible about their experiences walking,
bicycling, taking transit, and driving in Long Branch.
The objective is a safer and more enjoyable commute and/or exercise
experience which will be obtained by enhancing the existing bicycle and
pedestrian network through improved signage and infrastructure.
The Steering Committee needs your input in order to determine the needs
of the residents of the city in order to best achieve the goals of the
plan.
Here is a link to the online survey:
Here is a link to the website - you can read all about the project:
SAVE
OCEAN AVENUE COMMIITTEE
Dec 1,
2021
Hello
everyone ,hope you are all
doing well ,,,,,,,,,,,,,winter is almost here ,,,,,,,
I
am happy to tell you the city of
Long Branch under the direction of Stan Dziuba Public Works/Emergency
Management and the new Director of Public Safety Domingos Salidas have
listened
to our requests and have made additional changes in traffic safety and
enhancing the board walk with art, culture and history. The SOA
committee has
been working on these goals for a long time and also for the completion
of a
new bikeway from north to south Long Branch which is underway. There
are now
more traffic safety signs along Ocean Boulevard and Ocean Avenue. There
has
been more enforcement of traffic violations on the beach front, for
dogs and
bikes on the boardwalk, illegal parking and people jumping the
boardwalk
railings. There are again children at play placards in the roadway on
Ocean
Avenue in the south green acres linear no traffic park for people to
use more
safely. The shade park, picnic tables and flower garden boxes are being
put
back up at the West End road way by the bathroom for all to use and
enjoy. The
Save Ocean Avenue 4 by 8 ft. art, history, and culture boards of Long
Branch
are being put back up on the beach at the beach access points along the
boardwalk to enhance the ocean walk along the boardwalk. The seven
presidents 4
by 8 ft. art board portraits are next to the boardwalk by the roadway
as you
enter the south green acres linear park at Brighton Avenue, at the
beginning of
the boardwalk ocean walk to enjoy the start of the ocean walk.
Stay
safe ,,,,,,,,,,
Dennis Sherman
Chairman Save Ocean Ave
Committee
Some New Birds Visted Long Branch This Fall:
Above is a group of Sanderlings - an Arctic nesting species that sometimes winters in NJ and below (with the crazy hairdos) are Royal Terns.
Hello
everyone, Hope you’re all doing well ,,,,,,
The
beginning of May is right around the corner. I am happy
to tell you that after much back and forth with the city of Long Branch
to try
and get more safety signs on the roadways earlier, that the city is
planning to
put out the pedestrian safety sandwich boards crossing signs on Ocean
Boulevard
and Ocean Avenue at the crosswalks as of May 1,2021. Thanks
to those of
you who have written and asked the city and SOA/LBCC, for safety to be
improved
as quickly as possible. Ocean Boulevard can be made safer with these
signs all
year round and not just the summer season, like Sea Bright. Especially
with
visitors increasing to Long Branch daily because of the covid crisis.
Many of
our city residents and visitors and families cross the Boulevard, or
ride bikes
all year round to walk the boardwalk and it dangerous crossing two
lanes of
traffic going at very fast in both lanes.
A second
goal of the
SOA and LBCC committee, responding to all your questions and requests,
is to
help get a safe new bike way that runs from Lake Takanasssee to
Monmouth Beach
connecting the already traffic free north and south linear green acre
parks along
the ocean front on Ocean Avenue, where cars and traffic, currently are
not
allowed. It is safe to use the two green acre parks without fear of
being hit
by a car. We have spent much time and effort with the city of Long
Branch and
the engineering department of Monmouth County to try and get more
safety for
Ocean Boulevard and a new safe bikeway. There is no soft shoulder for
bikes
from Pavilion Avenue in front of Pier Village north. Many letters and
discussions have happened from me and SOA/LBCC to try and make this
happen.
Last year the idea of a new bike way was finally put into the city’s
master
plan and a meeting held with the city to try and get bike grants and
funding.
No funding for bike grants was put in. The County also put in a
multimillion-dollar
grant to fix all of Ocean Boulevard and the traffic intersection at
Brighton
Avenue and Ocean Boulevard. A separate bike audit of the city for a new
bikeway
was completed by the city’s Green Committee and Environmental Committee
and the
results given to the mayor with specific recommendations. All this
happen last
year.
A whole year
has passed. To date I have
been told by the county engineer that the study grant was not accepted
to make
new improvement's to Ocean Boulevard. I am not aware after much
discussion of
any new further action being taken on moving ahead with implementing a
new
bikeway, or any new plans to improve pedestrian and traffic safety on
Ocean
Boulevard and Ocean Avenue south of Brighton Avenue.
We are in a
new time at the city
of Long Branch, with many visitors coming to Long Branch year-round,
and with
new condominium buildings opening up along the ocean front by the
railway
station and next to Seven Presidents Park, and there will be even more
congestion. This will result in more people, more cars, more traffic
all along
the oceanfront and north and south of Pier Village ,not only in the
summer, but
year-round. What new plans are there to improve the safety of Ocean
Boulevard
and Ocean Avenue and when will the the new bike way be
started. Last
summer the crowds forced beaches to be closed and Ocean Boulevard was
clogged
up with traffic especially at Brighton Avenue. What is going to change
this
year and how quickly will it happen? What are the cities
priorities to
quickly deal with these problems?
The city has
zoom council meetings every
other week and the mayor and city council are very accessible and open
to phone
calls and e mails, and ideas and complaints. Write or call the
mayor
jpallone@longbranch.org
Your voice
counts and unless the city makes the safety of Ocean Avenue and Ocean
Boulevard
and a new safe bikeway a higher priority, nothing more will happen.
I urge all
of you who care, to call
into the city council meeting tonight Wednesday at 7:30 PM and help ask
these
questions. The numbers to call for council meeting are
1-929-205-6099,1-312-626-6799,1-253-215-8782, then enter meeting
ID
814-3875-1701 followed by the pound # sign. The
city council meets
are every other week at 7:30 PM. Call them. write, speak to
the mayor and
council and ask questions if you care about these issues and
more
safety. Traffic is increasing with every new day of warmer weather
Your voice
counts only if you use
it. We ask you to help communicate these issues to the city
if you
care.
Dennis
Sherman
Chairman Save Ocean Ave
Committee
GOALS AND MISSION STATEMENT
of Save Ocean Ave. Committee
With many new redevelopment projects nearing competition shortly, many more people will be using the oceanfront and parks. Visit the save ocean avenue committee website. It is interactive and answers questions, signs up new supporters and regularly sends out news blasts about the boardwalk and oceanfront.
The goals and mission statement of the Save Ocean Avenue Committee are as follows;
1. Protect, beautify and enhance the Green Acre Open Space Parks along Ocean Avenue and the boardwalk and in the city. Introduce more culture, art, sculpture, history onto the boardwalk and linear parks, including West End Park and Jackson woods park.
2. Improve the safety for pedestrians getting to and from the beach and boardwalk crossing Ocean Boulevard and using Ocean Avenue.
3. Help create a complete safe bikeway from the beginning of the boardwalk at Brighton Avenue at the south end of the boardwalk up to Seven President park.
October 5, 1938 - December 21, 2020
As president of the L.B.C.C. Bill got the city to reimburse every condominium association every year for the over payments for snow and lighting that were made to the city. This practice continues today and condominium lists are updated every year by the city. The LBCC under Bills leadership would provide help to anyone that needed it with names of reliable contractors and handy men. At city council meetings, issues of bonds, budgets, ordinances were followed closely and questioned when necessary. Bill was a fighter and leader over these many years and many people benefitted by his efforts .
He will long be remembered for his efforts to make Long Branch a better place to live..
THE SAVE OCEAN AVENUE LOGO of LONG BRANCH
Our committee worked with the city to rename the boardwalk and bike path, "Seven Presidents Ocean Walk", displayed on the SOA logo. The SOA logo is a picture that was designed by graphic artist, Ryan Sherman, of Philadelphia, to represent these efforts and history. There are seven large waves that represent the seven United States presidents who vacationed in Long Branch and contributed to the history, culture and development of the city. The logo has the sky, sun, seagulls, lifeguard stand, beach, seven waves, boardwalk, railings and red bike path along the ocean walk. There are also links to other important sights and past and current history of the SOA Committee. The seven colors of the logo were specifically chosen to show the Long Branch ocean front, seven president’s walk, board walk, roadway and bike path.
Hello Everyone,
Hope you are all doing well in this heat, the virus and with the crowds of people coming to the long Branch boardwalk and beaches.Weekly your ideas and suggestions plus mine are given to the mayor and beach manager to deal with the crowds on the boardwalk and beaches.
Anyone can speak to or email the mayor, beach manager or council about their issues and concerns. The town has daily meetings to discuss and improve the beaches and boardwalk during this difficult time. I am very sad to tell you one of the oystercatchers babies is missing and has not been seen and presumed dead. If anyone has any information about it's disappearance please let me or the beach manager Stan Dzuiba know. The last sighting of the two fledglings was more than a few weeks ago. Only the two parents and one baby are left. Attached are the latest pictures of one parent and one baby bird. With the overcrowding of the boardwalks, beaches and parking many people jump the fence, ruin the dune grass and disturb the birds. There are complaints of large unsecured canopies, loud boom boxes and bothering the baby oystercatcher babies. You can report complaints to the life guards, or ticket booths who will call security to address them. You can also call the beach office with the complaint, 732-571-5697. If you see violations call the beach office during the day and police after 4 pm.
I am happy to report to you that the Save Ocean Avenue Committee has made very good progress and has gotten support to get a complete bikeway through all of Long Branch and to start making Ocean Boulevard and Ocean Avenue safer. With Freeholder Director Tom Arnone's support, I was able to discuss the safety of Ocean Boulevard, Ocean Avenue and a safe bikeway for Long Branch with the director of county highways and their plans for city improvements. Our SOA committee and I have been working on this for a very long time and have met with the county and city before over the years. The county who meets with the city is very soon going to start repainting the crosswalks and lines on Ocean Boulevard, add new crosswalks and put up more safety signage along Ocean Boulevard to help pedestrians cross the boulevard safely. This will start soon.
There are also plans to fix the traffic congestion at the Brighton Avenue intersection. The county also talked about a study grant they were applying for, with the cities agreement to fix all of Ocean Boulevard and Ocean Avenue with them. The cities Green team committee recently completed a bike and pedestrian audit with pictures of a bikeway from church of the seven presidents up past the counties park of the Seven Presidents leading into Monmouth beach. This plan has specific pictures of the roadways, dangers and recommendations and will be discussed with the mayor. The SOA committee and LBCC were part of the stakeholders giving our input and ideas which were to connect the north and south already existing traffic free green acre linear parks along the oceanfront and already being used by many people. Ocean Avenue north of South Bath Avenue up to Madison Avenue is very dangerous for bikes and families with the increased traffic of beach goers and visitors on the weekend and at night. This is all good news because the county is going to start work on Ocean Boulevard after meeting again with the city and we should see results of that right away.
Hopefully this plan will be coordinated with the cities new master plan, the county’s plans for Ocean Boulevard and the cities plans for Ocean Avenue. We are also asking when there will be a second public hearing and discussion of the city’s new ten year master plan. Last year we gave our input and ideas to the city for the new bikeway to go from Brighton Avenue to Madison Avenue connecting the north and south traffic free Green Acre linear parks. When the next public discussion of the master plan is announced it will be very important for everyone who has an interest to call in and ask questions about your concerns, and support the new bikeway.
Dennis Sherman - Chairman Save Ocean Ave Committee
