As part of Palmyra’s four-month long project to revitalize its Market Street corridor, the Burlington County Bridge Commission will repave the street that feeds traffic to its Tacony-Palmyra Bridge.  By entering into a Shared Services Agreement with Palmyra, the Commission will assist Palmyra with the improvement of Market Street and will save the borough approximately $270,000.

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“Providing this assistance to one of our gateway towns not only beautifies a heavily travelled road,” said John Comegno, Chairman of the Bridge Commission.  “It also lightens the burden on the municipality, which translates into tax savings for its residents.”

Palmyra’s comprehensive Market Street Gateway Improvement Project will extend from Broad Street to Souder Avenue, the road just before the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge.  The total cost is estimated at $570,000; the cost of the roadway reconstruction, which the Commission will undertake, is estimated at $270,000.

Palmyra will replace sidewalks as needed, install 38 handicap ramps, and install period lighting like that on Broad Street from Market Street to Route 73 (as part of the previous “Streetscape Project” by the Commission).  The project will also include rehabilitation of the Ethel Hardy Playground located at the corner of Market and Madison Streets. The project is expected to begin April 1st and wrap up by July 30th.

 “Partnering with the Burlington County Bridge Commission on our Market Street revitalization project allowed us to accomplish all of the needed streetscaping improvements while saving Palmyra taxpayer dollars,” stated Mayor Karen Scheffler.

Commissioner Troy Singleton noted the economic impact the project would have: “I am gratified that the Commission's continued bipartisan efforts towards enhancing shared services has led to job creation and a tax saving initiative for Palmyra.”

“Providing a safer and more enjoyable ride for the motoring public to our Tacony-Palmyra Bridge is something we’re proud as Commissioners to be able to do,” added Vice-Chairman James Fattorini. 

As a result of grant applications sponsored by the Burlington County Bridge Commission on behalf of area towns, four Burlco municipalities will receive $178,000 from Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC).  Burlington City, Mansfield Township, Palmyra Borough, and Mt. Laurel Township will receive funds from the DVRPC’s Transportation and Community Development Initiative (TCDI). 

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“This is yet another shared service between the Freeholders and the Bridge Commission that benefits our municipalities, bringing desperately needed dollars to tight town budgets,” Freeholder Director Bruce Garganio said.

“These grant awards are a win-win for Burlington County towns and their taypayers,” said Commission Chairman John Comegno. “Municipalities get funding for their projects, and because the Commission underwrites the cost of the grant applications, the funding comes at no cost to the municipalities.”

The TCDI grants provide support for local development and redevelopment efforts, and provide funding for municipalities to implement their local planning objectives: 

• Burlington City will receive $64,000 for a zoning update, which will allow for the City to develop a new zoning ordinance that matches the recommendations put forth in the new master plan.
  
• Mansfield Township was awarded $50,000 to be used to update the township’s Master Plan by developing a Circulation Plan Element. 
  
• Palmyra Borough will use $32,000 to explore traffic calming measures to address heavy and fast-moving traffic along Broad Street (County Route 543), from the border of Riverton to New Jersey State Highway 73.
  
• Mt. Laurel Township will use $32,000 in TCDI funds to develop a new bikeway plan within the Township that will connect to the Rancocas Greenway.

Burlington City Mayor Jim Fazzone stated that, “Without these grant funds, the City of Burlington would have been unable to fund the amendments to our zoning ordinance to reflect our new Master Plan, making it more difficult to attract new businesses to the City and continue revitalizing  our downtown.”

Karen Scheffler, Palmyra Mayor, also expressed gratitude for the award and application assistance: “Thanks to the assistance from the Bridge Commission in providing the grantwriting services, and the grant from the DVRPC, Palmyra will now be able to examine new opportunities to improve our downtown and attract new business into the community.” 

Applications were prepared by Community Grants, Planning, and Housing (CGP&H), the East Windsor-based firm hired by the Commission that has garnered a total of $13,805,575 in grants for Burlington County municipalities, resulting in huge tax savings for those towns. With expertise in soliciting county, state, federal, and private sector grant and low-interest loan programs, CGP&H boasts an impressive 17:1 return on investment for Commission-sponsored grant applications.

“Whether it’s saving our tollpayers from a toll increase or bringing economic relief to financially strapped towns and their taxpayers, the Bridge Commission is determined to be a good neighbor,” said Comegno.

Interested in helping garden PCNP’s nectary for its creatures, hummingbirds, butterflies and other insects that make up a healthy park ecosystem?  If you have some time to offer this Spring through Summer, PCNP’s Nectar Garden Project might be for you.  Areas of interest include Gardening for Wildlife, Gardening in Deer Country, Hummingbird Gardening, Butterfly Gardening, Nectar Plants for Bees, Herb Gardening, and Dry Land Gardening.

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 And, this year, along with the regular garden chores gardeners will work to establish living mulches of Trailing Thymes, Flowering Oreganos, and other herbs and test new deer-resistant nectar plants. As the gardens are also about sharing, there will be extra plants for you to try at home!

In its 6th year, PCNP’s nectary is a feast for the eye and nose as well. If you are curious about how to make your own yard a better place for wildlife, or if you think you must give up your garden because of deer, then your work with us will help you in your personal gardening as well.

Gardening dates and anticipated chores follow.  Start time is 9 AM for each day.  Volunteers can sign up for one or more dates and offer as much time each day as they like. 

Sunday, April 15 – Dividing and transplanting perennials
Saturday, April 28 – Spring planting day
Friday, June 15 – Garden maintenance
Saturday, July 21 – Garden maintenance
Saturday, Aug 25 – Seed collecting and garden maintenance

No tools are required, but volunteers are asked to bring a pair of gardening gloves and a trowel for planting if they have one.  To volunteer or for more information, call (856)829-1900, ext. 264. 

GLOBE at Night comes to PCNP

Join us Wednesday, April 18th from 7 to 9 PM for an evening of Community Science under the stars and STARLAB Planetarium presentation!  Guest Speaker Peter Dorofy from Burlington County Institute of Technology will talk about the impact of artificial lighting on local environments and raise awareness about the ongoing loss of people’s ability to study or simply enjoy the night sky in many parts of the world.

The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE*) program is a worldwide hands-on, primary and secondary school-based science and education program. GLOBE at Night is a hands-on learning event extending beyond the traditional classroom and school day involving teachers, students and their families. By locating and observing the constellation Orion in the night sky, students from around the world will learn how the lights in their community contribute to light pollution.

GLOBE's vision promotes and supports students, teachers and scientists to collaborate on inquiry-based investigations of the environment and the Earth system working in close partnership with NASA, NOAA and NSF Earth System Science Projects (ESSP's) in study and research about the dynamics of Earth's environment.