PRINCETON: >$2.26m sought for local road improvements

By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
   Township engineering has presented a $2.26 million capital budget request to the committee. The figure includes requests for several road improvement projects and public works equipment.
   Cherry Valley Road improvements make up the largest chunk of the request at $730,000 cost to Princeton Township. This figure includes improvements from Griggs Drive to Route 206 that would eliminate the drainage ditches along the road, widen the road and add curbing, said Robert Kiser, township engineer.
   It would also connect the pathway, a six-foot-wide walkway from Cherry Valley, along Princeton Avenue across Route 206, making it possible to walk to downtown Princeton Borough on a continuous pathway system.
   ”When extended, it connects all the way through the township into the borough through Mount Lucas Road along existing pathway systems.”
   The existing storm drains along Route 206 will be extended to allow water to flow off the roadway into the current system.
   Hillside Avenue will also see improvements from the project with drainage improvements, curbing and repair and resurfacing for the roadway with this project.
   Montgomery Township will also be contributing $600,000 to the project and a grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation has been secured for $300,000 to fund the project, which costs a total of $1.63 million.
   The next largest project will be Grover Avenue from Terhune Road to Clearview Avenue and Roper Road, which will see similar improvements with repair and resurfacing and curbing, with $670,000.
   ”The water company will be replacing the main along the road and making sewer improvements,” said Mr. Kiser. “We try to coordinate everything at once.”
   Battle Road West and Battle Road Circle will also see $340,000 of roadway improvements with drainage, curbing and resurfacing.
   Many of the road projects will have funding support from the New Jersey Infrastructure Trust Program. The $1.627 million will be low-interest loans.
   Public Works Department has a capital budget request of $226,000 for equipment and other items.
   The largest of the request is a new front-end loader, which is used year-round.
   ”It’s continuously operated, it’s used to pick up snow in the winter, leaves in the fall and brush in the spring,” said Mr. Kiser. “It’s met its useful life, especially considering how much our department uses it on a continual basis.”
   The department has three front end loaders. The oldest one is the largest and most used, said Mr. Kiser.
   A new loader costs $170,000 and comes with a warranty to cover any problems that might arise. Looking for a used piece is generally difficult without much choice.
   The remaining balance of the request is for items such as tools, signs, paint and safety equipment.
   Also in the DPW capital requests are $300,000 for paving materials for pothole patching and road resurfacing, not listed for specific projects, by the public works personnel.