$250,000 grant to fund road upgrades in South Amboy

Realignment, repaving planned for South Pine Ave., Portia St.

BY JACQUELINE DURETT
Correspondent

SOUTH AMBOY — Improvements will soon be made to a key intersection.

The city was recently awarded a $250,000 grant fromthe state Department of Transportation 2011 MunicipalAid Program to improve South Pine Avenue and Portia Street. Officials applied for the grant after learning that PSE&G and Middlesex Water Co. would be doing work at the site, according to City Engineer Mark Rasimowicz.

“We felt it was an appropriate time,” he said. “The intersection of Portia and South Pine has been a concern for many years.”

Rasimowicz described the move as proactive, as he was unaware of any accidents at the site.

The city will be using the funds to realign, mill and overlay the roadway and install concrete improvements for pedestrians.

“South Pine Avenue is a major thoroughfare,” Rasimowicz said. “The roadway is wide and requires some significant concrete improvements to realign the intersection at Portia Street to a more uniform and safe width.”

Rasimowicz defined the project area as South Pine Avenue from Bordentown Avenue to Portia Street, and Portia Street from South Pine Avenue to Parker Avenue.

Work will begin once both utilities complete their work.

“PSE&G began work in fall of 2010 and [that project] is still under way. Middlesex Water is finalizing their plans,” Rasimowicz said.

During the Feb. 16 City Council meeting, Rasimowicz also noted that the city has received $80,000 worth of energy grants between

2010 and 2011. They will be used to fund improvements to the lights and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at city buildings, at no cost to the city, he said.

In other news

Residents should have received a letter from the city with their latest sewer bill, City Council President Joseph Connors said during his remarks at the Feb. 16 meeting.

South Amboy, he said, is looking to ensure that residents follow the parking regulations, including parking in the right direction on the street, parking an acceptable distance from the curb and following signage, now that the winter’s major snowstorms have passed. He stressed that the city was constructed more than a century ago and was not designed to accommodate all of the vehicles that are present today.

“What we’re trying to do is improve the quality of life in our town,” Connors said.

However, the letter was one that bothered resident Tom Cross, who said at the meeting that he didn’t want to see the police spend all their time issuing violations when parking should be a code enforcement issue.

Cross also said code enforcement should be addressing snow removal issues but has not been doing so.

“There is no accountability,” he said.

Connors said at the meeting that he is moving ahead with his plan to hold his first town hall meeting, where department heads will be able to give updates on various projects and answer residents’ questions. The initiative is part of city officials’ stated effort to increase communication with residents.

He anticipates that the first meeting will take place in May, likely after a City Council meeting. Council meetings are currently planned for May 4 and 18.