The grants would help Inglis residents travel down North Elmwood Road to nearby churches and shopping centers.
The disabled residents of the Inglis Gardens independent housing complex heard some good news about a longtime problem at this week’s Evesham Township Council meeting.
Councilmember Ken D’Andrea announced the township and Inglis Gardens had been approved for two grants that would pay for a sidewalk to run from the complex down a portion of North Elmwood Road.
Residents in the complex have been asking council about the possibility of a sidewalk for years to help them travel from their complex to nearby locations such as St. Isaac Jogues Church or stores at The Village at the Greens shopping center.
Until last year, the township was unable to move on the request, as past efforts by the township had been blocked due to archeological concerns from the state regarding wetlands delineations and a potential Native American burial ground in places where a sidewalk would need to be installed.
However, after officials again tried to work with the state on the issue last year, the township was finally able to get the necessary permits from the NJDEP to build a sidewalk about 750 feet from Inglis Gardens to Ross Way.
The path after Ross Way is private property, so there is no right of way to place a sidewalk, but a path continues on North Elmwood Road on the other side of the road.
Once the permits were secured, the township applied for a grant through the 2017 Community Development Block Grant program, and township officials also helped Inglis Gardens apply for a grant through its status as a non-profit.
At this week’s meeting, D’Andrea announced both grants had been approved, and now the township was simply waiting for funding. Although projects are approved or denied at the county level, the grant program is ultimately funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Due to the delay in the 2017 federal budget, D’Andrea said the township had yet to receive the necessary funds to begin construction of the sidewalk.
D’Andrea said the township had been informed the county expects the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to accept the county’s list of approved projects in the middle-to-end of September.
However, D’Andrea also noted no work can begin on the project until the county has received approval to proceed.
“The bottom line is, both grants were approved from the Inglis House and from us in the township, but we’re waiting from a timing perspective so we can get the sidewalk done,” D’Andrea said.
Evesham Township manager Tom Czerniecki said he was pleased the township and Inglis Gardens had each been approved for grants for $78,000 and $50,000, respectively.
In particular, Czerniecki said the township had never been able to take advantage of the non-profit grant category before until council approved the necessary studies that ultimately fulfilled the county’s requirements.
“We now have two grants for the sidewalk, and I think that’s good news. I think we’re committed to pedestrian enhancements and we’re taking advantage of grants that are available and we’re doing everything we can,” Czerniecki said.
