Manalapan joins with county for road work

BY MARK ROSMAN Staff Writer

The Manalapan Township Committee will partner with Monmouth County and proceed with a road improvement project that has been on the drawing board for several years.

Manalapan and Monmouth County will undertake the work at the intersection of county Route 527A (Iron Ore Road), Mount Vernon Road and High Bridge Road in Manalapan. The committee passed a resolution that authorizes the partnership agreement with the county during its meeting of Oct. 14.

According to the resolution, the county will reimburse the township for 75 percent of the total project costs in excess of a state grant that has been received, subject to an amount not to exceed $750,000, with payments to be made periodically by the county in accordance with certified estimates prepared by the township engineer and approved by the county engineer.

The resolution states that the county and township agree that the public interest requires improvements be made to the intersection of Route 527A (Iron Ore Road), Mount Vernon Road, and High Bridge Road and widening of High Bridge Road from its intersection with Route 527A to the Freehold Secondary Branch railroad crossing.

Manalapan has received commitments from the New Jersey Department of Transportation for grants in the amount of $285,000 toward the road improvements and requested the participation of the county in the construction of those improvements.

According to the resolution, the county engineer has reviewed plans and specifications for the project and has recommended county participation, through reimbursement to the township, for all project costs, including design, construction, permits, right-of-way and easement acquisition, and contract administration and inspection, in excess of the state grant on a cost share basis of 75 percent county and 25 percent township.

The county participation is limited to an amount not to exceed $750,000 and the remainder of the project funding, if any, will be the sole responsibility of Manalapan.