By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Bergen Street will be treated to a new coat of asphalt later this summer, thanks to Township Council’s decision to award a $327,000 contract to a Hammonton paving contractor.
The council awarded the contract to Arawak Paving Co., which was determined to be the lowest responsible bidder, at its June 21 meeting. A New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund grant of $250,000 will be applied toward the cost of the project.
Arawak Paving Co. was one of eight contractors that submitted bids for the project, which ranged from as low as $327,000 to as high as $431,818. Municipal Engineer James Parvesse had estimated the project cost at $361,180.
A one-mile-long stretch of Bergen Street from the Lawrenceville-Pennington Road to Cold Soil Road will be repaved. The project calls for removing the top layer of asphalt and putting down a new coat, said Municipal Manager Richard Krawczun.
The design of the project also involves striping the roadway to create a bicycle lane on both sides of the street, to encourage residents to use bicycles. It would make it safer for bicyclists to ride in the 44-foot-wide street, said Mr. Krawczun.
The work will take about two weeks to complete, providing the weather cooperates, he said.
