Ocean County will use close to $4 million in state aid to assist in the construction of five different road projects and road improvements.
The Ocean County Board of Freeholders was expected to endorse the Fiscal Year 2004 Ocean County Capital Transportation Program and authorize its submission to the state Department of Transportation for approval during its regular board meeting Sept. 3.
"This money will further some of our major road projects now under way in the county," said Freeholder James J. Mancini, who serves as liaison to the Ocean County Engineering Department. "Ocean County already spends about $30 million a year in maintaining and upgrading more than 620 miles of county roads. These state funds will be put toward several major road reconstruction projects."
Of the $3,986,000, the county expects to use $1,686,000 toward the reconstruction of Lacey Road in Lacey Township.
Other projects earmarked for the funds are the reconstruction of Fischer Boulevard, from Bay Avenue to Hooper Avenue, Dover Township, $800,000; reconstruction of Brick Boulevard from Beaverson Boulevard to Yorktowne Boulevard, Brick Township, $500,000; and construction of the Crosswicks Creek Bridge, Plumsted Township, $200,000.
In addition, $800,000 will be used to install new traffic control devices and upgrade others in various areas of the county.
"We expect to use $200,000 for sign upgrades, $200,000 for traffic signal upgrades and $400,000 for a new signalized intersection," Ocean County Engineer Ronald A. Lotrecchio said. "This money assists in the maintenance of our intersection signals along with our new construction work."
Lotrecchio said the county received the same amount of state aid last year.
"Our allotment is derived from a funding formula that is based on population and road mileage," he explained.