Middletown Gets $1M To Encourage Walking To River Plaza School

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Middletown Township announced this week it has received a $1 million grant from the North Jersey Transit Planning Authority (NJTPA) to create a safer walking environment around River Plaza Elementary School.

Some of the changes that will be coming near the school include a new barrier fence that will be installed between the sidewalk and Hubbard Avenue, designed to better protect pedestrians.

There may also be improvements to the sidewalk near the school, the Township said.

Middletown Township, in partnership with the Board of Education, applied for the grant last year. They want to make Hubbard Avenue overall safer for pedestrians.

The grant is meant to encourage more students to walk and bike to school.

“The Township Committee and I are excited that Middletown was one of 11 towns across New Jersey to receive funding from the NJTPA,” said Mayor Tony Perry, who used to live near River Plaza elementary. “This has been a three-year endeavor that many of us have dedicated our efforts to, so it’s a real win for our community.”

River Plaza elementary has a student population of 285. Of these students, 174 live within two 2 miles of the school campus.