Township hopes to acquire tracts of land for open space
By:Jeff Mikalaitis
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP – The township has applied for $10.6 million in Green Acres funds to acquire tracts of land for open space purposes, said Mayor R. Joseph Foster at Tuesday’s Township Committee meeting.
Township Administrator John F. Mason said the township hopes to pay the full $10 million amount with state and county grants.
Mr. Mason said the township could use the $1.7 million open space grant it received from the county on June 4, and future county grants, to match the loan.
Mayor Foster said there are a number of tracts of land that are targeted for open space. He said the township selected the properties and then prioritized them.
Mayor Foster said the township has yet to go public with the open space list because it would influence the land values.
"That would tip our hat," he said. "The properties are in strategically located areas that would serve municipal homeowners."
Mayor Foster said the properties would be used for parks, playgrounds and ball fields.
In other business, the committee unanimously voted to approve a $700,000 bond ordinance for the completion of Phase 4 of its Road Program.
Phase 4 of the five-phase program will consist of repairing, repaving, reconstruction, and overlaying 13 township roads:
Foresgate Drive
Vine Way, from Shelburn Road to Charles Bossert Drive
Creek View Avenue/Tidewater Court, from Reichert Avenue to cul-de-sac
Hogback Road, from Groveville Road to Route 130
Martin Avenue, shopping center to Route 206
Reichert Avenue, last 100 feet at Route 206 by Tidewater Court.
Linden Avenue, from Route 206 to East Drive
Princeton Avenue, from Valley Forge Road to cul-de-sac
Poplar Avenue, from Route 206 to East Drive
Livingston Lane, from Ward Avenue to Vine Way
Pine Avenue, from Route 206 to East Drive
Fern Lane, from Charles Bossert Drive to dead end
Elm Avenue, from Route 206 to East Drive.
Committeewoman Pauline Angelo said most of the work will consist of overlaying.
The bond ordinance will go into effect in 20 days. In the meantime, the township engineer is working on bid specifications, said Mr. Mason.
He said, weather permitting, the township hopes to start the overlay in the fall.
The job is estimated to take a few weeks, because of the number of roads, he said.
Mr. Mason also said that the roads will remain open to local traffic during the road work.