Red Bank Boro
stepping up pace of paving
RED BANK — This year the borough has plans to pave part or all of 11 roads, the Borough Council announced this week.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the council introduced a bond ordinance appropriating $522,000 for the various road improvements.
"This is a fairly aggressive program this year," Richard Kosenski, the borough’s engineer said.
This year the borough will be receiving a $200,000 local aid grant from the state’s Department of Transportation, which will be used to pave Locust Avenue.
"When we’re done, it’s not going to be 500 and change; it’ll be closer to 300 and change," said Councilman Robert J. Bifani, who is chairman of the public works committee.
In addition to the state grant, Bifani said the borough is in the process of negotiating an arrangement with New Jersey Natural Gas, to pave the roads when the utility company is already there doing work on their lines underneath.
"The key to the savings is our aggressive style of getting grants," Bifani said.
In addition to Locust Avenue, the roads slated to be repaired this year include Gold, Canal, Mechanic, and Earl streets, DeForrest Lane, sections of Willow Street, St. Mary’s, Horace, and Elm places.
A number of these roads will have curbs replaced and handicap ramps installed, Bifani said.
In addition to the road repair, Leighton Place also will get a new sanitary sewer system and house connections.
Funding for that will be obtained through a $115,000 bond ordinance, which will come out of the borough’s water and sewer utility, according to Mayor Edward J. McKenna Jr.
"This will have no impact on the tax rate," he said.
When considering what roads to repair in a given year, Bifani said it depends on a number of factors, including the condition of the road, the use of the road, the last time it was paved, and whether it had or is scheduled to have any utility work done on it.
Councilwoman Jennifer A. Beck commended Bifani for his efforts to increase the number of roads being repaired this year.
When running for Borough Council, Beck said many residents complained about the condition of the streets. And since her election, she said increasing the paving work done on borough streets is something she has advocated.
"I’ve always suggested we have a more aggressive road program," Beck said.
But McKenna was quick to dismiss Beck.
"We did 46 roads, Jennifer, and it had nothing to do with your request," McKenna said.
Later Beck said that if the mayor was referring to 46 roads being repaired in the course of his 10-year administration, that averages out to 4.6 roads a year, if these 11 streets are included. Excluding this year’s project, the average drops to 3.5 roads.
Beck took exception to McKenna’s dismissive tone concerning her contention all along that more roads should be done.
"I don’t think it is completely misplaced," she said. "I think the truth is they made the shift. They clearly stepped it up."
The public hearing and final adoption on the ordinance is scheduled for the Feb. 13 Borough Council meeting.