By jennifer dome
Staff Writer
SOUTH RIVER — Residents may have noticed that some of the roads they are riding on are a little smoother, and the sidewalks they stroll are a little nicer.
According to Mayor Robert Szegeti, nearly $1 million in infrastructure improvement projects are being completed in the borough.
Among those projects are repaving and drainage work on Foothills Drive, and the repaving of Burton Avenue and Ferris, William, Newell and Willett streets. These improvements have cost approximately $475,000, Szegeti said.
Improvements to Johnson Place between Bryant Street and Old Bridge Turnpike, and the Zeigert Street parking lot, cost more than $309,000, the mayor said.
Another project has involved improvements to the downtown business district and cost more than $110,000. Thus far, the borough has seen a replacement of curbs and sidewalks and the installation of sidewalk pavers, street planters and landscaping on several downtown streets, the mayor said.
"Aside from salary and benefit costs involving our police and other municipal employees, infrastructure improvements are a very significant part of our annual municipal budget," Szegeti said. "We seek outside funding assistance from the state and the county to help minimize the cost of these desirable improvements to our South River taxpayers."
While the borough’s pump stations are also being refurbished, officials are beginning efforts to improve the sanitary sewer system. The system is being inspected so that the replacement of pipes or resurfacing can begin in the near future, Szegeti said.

