South Orange Avenue Part of Citywide Streetscape Project

A section of South Orange Avenue in Newark's West Ward will get a makeover as part of a citywide $13.5 million streetscape project slated to begin by the end of this year.

Perris Straughter, senior planner with Newark's Department of Economic and Housing Development, said the avenue's renovation is part of a commercial revitalization program for five city roadways. The other four are lower Broadway and a section of Bloomfield Avenue in the city's Central Ward, Ferry Street in the Ironbound, Prospect Avenue in the North Ward and Clinton Avenue in the South Ward. He said the citywide project will be paid with Urban Enterprise Zone cash.

Some of the improvements include new sidewalks with semi-decorative, colored concrete; new decorative lighting instead of street lamps; benches for bus stops; new trash cans; new signal equipment to match lighting fixtures; and new greenery.

"In looking at these districts, the goal is to make them more vibrant and more effective hubs in terms of shopping," said Straughter.

The projects, except for Ferry Street because it is near completion, will be done simultaneously and won't be completed until at least summer 2012.

The part of South Orange Avenue that will undergo renovation is from Longfellow Avenue and Dover Street on the South Orange border to Stuyvesant Avenue.

Newark Councilman Ronald C. Rice, who represents the West Ward, said the project will help him develop a South Orange Avenue merchant association that will join business owners to better the community.

Straughter said the city surveyed businesses in the area about the project.

Cheun Kim, a worker at Joe's Market at the corner of South Orange Avenue and Telford Street, said the renovation is long overdue.

"It's a good idea because there's too much uneven sidewalk," she said. "With it even, I think, it will increase traffic into (the) store."

One of the larger improvements, Straughter said, is making the project's designated section of South Orange Avenue one lane each way and creating permanent parking on both sides of the street. He also said left turn lanes will be created at every corner the length of that section.

"Right now, you got a crazy condition where it's two lanes during rush hour and one lane during off-peak times because of parking," he said. "The boom times are when most traffic and people can't pull over to grab a bite to eat or get coffee or something at a convenience store."

Straughter said the streetscape project has been in design for more than a year and is now out for bid. 

He said South Orange Avenue alone will cost roughly $2.5 million.

Sharonada McClain, who lives in the Vailsburg section of Newark near South Orange Avenue, said she's been envisioning a new streetscape, "It will be nice to see something similar to South Orange with cobblestone sidewalks and unified awnings for an individualized, community atmosphere."