OCEAN CITY – A request to close a portion of Chicago Avenue from 3rd Street to 4th Street will advance to a first reading following a favorable vote this week.
On Tuesday, the Mayor and Council had before them a recommendation to close Chicago Avenue between 3rd and 4th streets.
In a presentation this week, City Engineer Paul Mauser noted that portion of the roadway had already been converted into a walkway for the redevelopment of the Downtown Recreation Complex. He said he was seeking formal action from the council to close the corridor.
“As everyone has seen, as part of the construction of the Downtown Recreation Complex, the corridor known as Chicago Avenue between 3rd and 4th street, where we used to have a road, is now a pervious concrete walkway that is not open to vehicular traffic. That was all part of the plan for the park,” he explained. “Essentially, I want to recommend to the council that we officially close this portion of the corridor.”
Located between 3rd and 4th streets bayside and bounded by Philadelphia and Chicago avenues, the Downtown Recreation Complex is being redeveloped in phases to include various recreation opportunities.
For the east section of the complex, the plan includes an expanded skate park, relocating the existing basketball courts and an improved inclusive playground area. The section to the west would be less developed and more passive. It includes a vast flexible lawn in the center surrounded by trees for pickup sports and other events, a playground area, new restrooms and more. The recreational fishing areas along the bulkhead would also be retained.
However, plans call for the Chicago Avenue corridor between 3rd and 4th streets to become existing right-of-way. To that end, the roadway should be officially closed.
Mauser told the council this week the town’s charter allowed the town to alter, improve or close existing public right-of-way. The means for doing so, he said, would be an ordinance.
“Anyone who has visited the site can see construction has already taken place,” he said. “Essentially, it’s a done deal. But I think we still need an official council vote to officially close that section of the Chicago Avenue corridor.”
With no further discussion, the council voted 7-0 to move the closure of Chicago Avenue between 3rd and 4th streets to a public hearing.
Mauser told the council this week that town staff had also considered reconstructing a portion of Chicago Avenue between 2nd and 3rd streets to allow for two-way traffic and parallel parking. Following feedback from neighboring property owners, including the Crab Cove board, he said he was no longer recommending that project.
“I was able to contact Crab Cove, attend their August 12 board meeting and get some really solid feedback from the residents,” he said. “They had safety concerns with increased vehicular flow, concerns with removing that nice green area that’s there right now, as well as people not using the parallel parking correctly … Given their feedback, and their board vote of 16-0 against the proposed reconstruction, I suggest we take no action in doing so.”
Councilman Peter Buas questioned if the staff had considered redirecting traffic along that portion of the corridor.
“At some point – maybe not any time soon, depending on repaving and everything – have we considered going the other direction, from north to south rather than south to north?” he asked. “Because people would be awkwardly turning around at the bottom of the park.”
Mauser noted that 3rd and 4th streets would become dead-end streets, similar to numerous other bayside streets. Buas, however, argued that the area of 3rd Street posed unique challenges.
“Yeah, but those don’t have a one-way coming at you from the south,” he replied.
Mauser agreed it was a unique situation.
“That has not even been thought of honestly,” he said.
