LAWRENCE: Township, district expect $2 million total from stimulus

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Lawrence Township is in line to receive $1.7 million for road and sidewalk projects and the school district expects to receive $309,000 in school construction money, thanks to the $787 billion economic stimulus recovery bill signed into law Tuesday by President Barack Obama.
    Meanwhile, Township Councilman Greg Puliti made a pitch to set aside some money to pay for the construction of a sound barrier along I-95, bordering the Long Acres single-family house development behind the Municipal Building.
    The economic stimulus money is intended for “shovel-ready” projects, Mr. Puliti said at Township Council’s meeting Tuesday night. He suggested contacting state and federal lawmakers to lobby for money for the sound barrier.
    “Every town (along I-95) has one but Lawrence. (The sound barrier) is ready to go. Lawrence should get a piece of the pie, somehow,” Mr. Puliti said.
    The state Department of Transportation was ready to go ahead with the sound barrier last fall, but put it on hold while it re-evaluated whether it wanted to proceed with the project. The estimated cost for the 2,800-foot-long wooden sound barrier is $3.2 million.
    After the meeting, Municipal Manager Richard Krawczun said township officials would like to spend the money on suggested sidewalk improvements and the 2009 road program. The New Jersey League of Municipalities had asked towns to prepare a list of possible projects.
    Mr. Krawczun said $250,000 earmarked for sidewalk improvements could be spent on recommendations made by consultant Michael Baker Jr. Inc. The firm had been retained by the township — through the DOT — to identify and assess existing sidewalks and bicycle paths last year.
    The township also has a long list of roads that need work, Mr. Krawczun said. The list of streets to be included in the 2009 road program has not been finalized, but the economic stimulus money would likely allow more streets to be included, he said.
    Across town at the school district office on Princeton Pike, Business Administrator Thomas Eldridge said the  school district is in a “holding pattern” right now.
    “All school districts are in a holding pattern,” Mr. Eldridge said. “The first thing we need to know is whether the funding comes with earmarks and that will shape the decision (on how to spend it).”
    “Since we don’t have a full understanding of the restrictions on the funds, we have not been able to develop or become involved in a policy discussion,” he said. “We do have projects that we would like to see funded, but we can’t advance them because we don’t know how the grants will be restricted.”
    School district officials would like to buy high efficiency boilers to “buy down” energy costs, for example, Mr. Eldridge said. The high efficiency boilers would mean the district would pay less in energy costs and also stimulate the economy through the purchase of the new equipment.