By dave benjamin
Staff Writer
DAVE BENJAMIN Manalapan officials are making plans to improve the intersection of Iron Ore, Highbridge and Mount Vernon roads.
MANALAPAN — Plans to improve an unusual three-way intersection are in the works.
The Township Committee has authorized CME Associates, Howell, to proceed with professional engineering services regarding improvements to the intersection of Iron Ore, Mount Vernon and Highbridge roads.
"The [present] alignment is bad," said township engineer Greg Valesi. "Mount Vernon and Highbridge come into Iron Ore Road on a horizontal curve and at very poor angles to the intersection. The movements are in conflict with each other."
The plan is to develop some conceptual sketches for review and approval by Mon-mouth County, since Iron Ore Road is a county road, Valesi said.
The next step after review and approval by the county would be to go back to the township and get its approval, allowing the project to move forward to the design plan stage.
"The changes will involve the realignment of Mount Vernon Road on both sides of Iron Ore Road and on Highbridge Road," Valesi said. "We may have [to have] the roads realigned to connect to Iron Ore Road in different orientations."
It is expected that the engineering services will include a survey, base map preparation, concept phase, preliminary design phase, permit phase, preparation of bid documents, final design and drafting, and bid phase services.
The cost for the engineering services by CME Associates to improve the intersection is expected to be about $51,738, and will not exceed that amount, according to the resolution, approved by the committee in July.
Valesi said the project has funding from the state Department of Transportation and a commitment from the county for additional funding.
"There are some negotiations that may have to happen with the county regarding the alignment, so we don’t have the exact number," said Bob Casey, Manalapan’s acting business administrator.
"The township has received a $155,000 grant from the DOT and a verbal commitment from Monmouth County for $100,000," said Tara Lovrich, assistant business administrator, "but, we don’t have a formal [written] agreement for that [at this time]."
Valesi said, "It’s a group effort. The township will basically do the design, the contract administration and the (property) acquisitions. The county will contribute funding, and the DOT through their local aid program will contribute money as well."
After the engineering services are completed, Valesi said, the project may begin in 2004.
Some portions of surrounding parcels may have to be acquired in order to do the project, the engineer said.
"Iron Ore Road should pretty much stay as it is," Valesi said. "The changes will be primarily to Mount Vernon on both sides, because Mount Vernon comes through on each side of Iron Ore Road. Highbridge will also have to be realigned to either connect into Mount Vernon or connect separately into Iron Ore Road."
The intersection of the three streets has probably been this way for more than 100 years, the engineer noted.
"It’s kind of how the road came into being and they just paved it over a number of years," he said.
Officials expect that when the improvements are completed, the upgrades will significantly improve travel to and from Englishtown and through the township, and will also improve safety at the intersection.