SPOTSWOOD — The borough is receiving a $290,000 state grant for improvements to Old Stage Road.
The state Department of Transportation has informed Spotswood that it will award the money as part of the agency’s 2009 municipal aid program. The funds are for phase two of the road improvements, including widening the road.
Borough Council President Curtis Stollen said the road widening will take place at the intersection of Old Stage Road and Brunswick Avenue and will allow for a turning lane to be installed. No land acquisition is necessary, because the affected wooded property was purchased for Spotswood by Middlesex County as part of its open space program. Since the property is wooded, sidewalks and curbing were never installed.
The road will be widened only enough to accommodate the new lane, which will be for right-hand turns from Old Stage Road onto Brunswick Avenue.
Stollen noted that it is a well-used roadway, but there is very little traffic backup, to his knowledge. The work is needed because the road narrows near the intersection.
In addition, Old Stage Road will be repaved between Brunswick Avenue and Crescent Avenue, and sidewalks and curbing will be installed where there presently are none.
“A good section between Brunswick and Crescent already has curbs, but there is also a section without curbs and sidewalks, and they will be filled in,” Stollen said.
The sidewalks will run continuously from Crescent Avenue to Summerhill Road.
The work will be done in conjunction with road construction on the East Brunswick section of the road, he said. That will save money in terms of contractor costs.
“It will be bid for as one project,” Stollen said. East Brunswick will do the engineering work and the bidding, he said. As for a timeline, he said nothing is set in stone, but the project realistically could be completed in 2009.
“I would hope so,” Stollen said.
According to a letter from the DOT, the municipal aid program becomes more popular each year “and is very competitive statewide.” This year, the state received 707 applications seeking more than $230 million in projects for the $78.75 million in available funds for the road projects.

