| << Go Back
Click to see Waterfront Progress Photos
Click to see "Waterfront Funding" information
Click to see "Waterfront Funding II: information
Waterfront Revitalization Project
Phase I
In January 2007, the NJDEP Bureau of Coastal Engineering broke ground on a project that serves to transform the shore protection and public access of the Keyport Borough Waterfront through an imaginative and well supported project funded through a partnership of State, County, and Local funding.
Keyport Borough’s bulkhead replacement project is currently replacing approximately 1,450 linear feet of the American Legion Drive Bulkhead from the Municipal Public Access Boat Ramp to the recreation area known as Fireman’s Park. The project, while providing vital protection of the Borough’s coastal bay front, provides for greatly enhanced and recreational type public access to this area. The Bulkhead will be augmented with decorative railings and a 15 foot wide promenade, allowing enjoyment of the newly protected waterfront and hopefully attracting visitors to the beautifully transformed waterfront.
The Borough, through partial funding from the New Jersey Green Acres Program, is concurrently rehabilitating the municipal fishing pier, which lies just to the west of the center of the bulkhead project. This pier is a vital part of Keyport's history as a marine community, allowing a true fisherman's element to the waterfront.
As Phase I is underway, The Borough is currently working with the public and their professionals for the vision of the "Waterfront Park", combining elements of vehicular access, parking, and recreational facilities that can be enjoyed by the entire community for years to come. This element will serve as Phase II of the project, and is in conceptual design through a public outreach and consensus building process.
Phase II
Final Design Plan
In the fall of 2008, the Borough completed final design plans for the development of its new waterfront park to be located along the recently completed waterfront bulkhead and promenade between Broad Street and the western end of American Legion Drive. The new park will be situated within the existing gravel and paved waterfront lot which has been used over the years as a municipal parking lot for a variety of waterfront activities.
The Council approved and Community endorsed waterfront park plan includes a 4 acre park consisting of a ½ acre open lawn area for passive recreation, a 30 foot diameter open air pavilion, a pedestrian plaza with a four faced decorative clock, a variety of sitting and planting areas, an 88 car main parking lot which will also provide some overflow boat trailer parking, and several adjacent parking areas which will accommodate another 40 cars.
The passive recreation area will be located on the western side of the site while the main parking lot will be on the east side. Full pedestrian circulation will be encouraged throughout the site by new sidewalks and alley way improvements which will connect Fireman’s Parking Lot, Mini Park, Beach Park, the Steamboat Dock Museum, and the Municipal Boat Ramp and the downtown shopping and dining district.
The park will be accessible by both car, via an access road which will run throughout the site connecting American Legion Drive and Broad Street, and by pedestrians from the downtown Mini Park, the waterfront promenade, and existing pedestrian alley ways and sidewalks from First Street, Broad Street and West Front Street.
The pedestrian areas will be complemented by a variety of colored and textured paved surfaces and gardens. The site will also include a “Rain Garden” (a natural, green depressed planted area which will utilize site stormwater runoff to water the diverse garden plantings while reducing the discharge of pollutants to receiving waters).
The park facilities will be fully accessible and will comply with all Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines.
The design also incorporates an overall grading design along with new drainage facilities throughout the site to minimize impacts of seasonal high tide flooding.
Construction Update
The project contractor is Manzo-Maroba of Colts Neck, New Jersey. Construction began in early spring of this year and is scheduled to be completed this fall.
In an effort to minimize the impact of the construction work on local businesses and waterfront activities, the project has been divided into two phases. Phase I which began in April, consists of the main parking lot and eastern half of the access road along with the Rain Garden and several of the smaller parking areas. Phase I is scheduled to be substantially completed in July and opened to the public at that time.
Once Phase I is opened to the public, the western half of the site will be closed so construction can commence on the recreation improvements, which is considered Phase II of the project.
Currently, a majority of the Phase I demolition work is complete and the new drainage facilities have been installed. The new parking lot has been rough graded and a majority of the new concrete curb is in place. Over the next month, the main parking lot and access road are scheduled to be completed and opened to the public.
The project’s construction has recently been delayed several weeks when, during the installation of the required drainage improvements for the new roadway and parking lot, a buried concrete vault from the Borough’s abandoned sewer treatment plant was unearthed. The large vault contained remaining sewer sludge which needed to be tested for environmental contaminants and then disposed of properly before construction could continue.
Through this portion of our website, we will attempt to keep the community informed of our progress on this project, and make information available to follow the area's dramatic transition to a regional area of interest in Northern Monmouth County.
|