New street light, sidewalks
and trees will greet residents
By:Alec Moore
Mayor Angelo Corradino was joined by Somerset County Freeholders Denise Coyle and Ken Scherer on Tuesday as the trio broke ground for a new section of the borough’s ongoing downtown revitalization project during a ceremony at the South Main Street gazebo.
"If we had been on this spot three and half years ago we would have been treading water," said Ms. Coyle, recalling the devastation Manville’s downtown suffered in 1999 following Hurricane Floyd.
"What we have here is another successful chapter in Manville’s revitalization," Ms. Coyle continued. "This streetscape improvement is going to bring an aesthetic boost to Manville and its going to bring an economic boost with it as well."
The project, which is being funded with $440,000 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and $110,000 from the county, will include the installation of full-width brick pavers and trees lining roughly 4,000 feet of South Main Street between West Camplain Road and Wilhousky Street.
The project also will include the installation of a traffic signal at South Main and Kyle streets and the creation of a "gateway" into the borough near Kennedy Boulevard.
Both portions of the project are expected to be completed in July.
"I’m honored to know that when there was a time of need, we all pulled together to make this happen," said Mr. Scherer, referring to the freeholder board’s efforts in lobbying state and federal legislators for $14 million in economic development funding for Somerset County’s municipalities.
Mayor Corradino expressed his gratitude to New Jersey Congressman Michael Ferguson (R-7th District), Congressman Bob Franks (R-7th District) and former U.S. Senator Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) and the freeholder board in particular for their efforts in securing the funding for the streetscape project.
"I appreciate everyone’s efforts, especially the freeholders," the mayor said.
Top Line Construction Corp. of Somerville has been awarded the construction contract for the project, which will also include work on the intersection of Main Street and Thomas J. Kaschak BoulevardWashington Street, including the installation of a traffic signal and streetscape improvements leading into the Rustic Mall.
T&M Associates of Middletown drafted the design work for the project.