Freehold making plans for road improvements

BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

FREEHOLD — A new road improvements program is now in place in Freehold Borough.

Borough Administrator Joseph Bellina and the Freehold Borough Finance Committee devised the plan. Councilman Kevin Kane chairs the finance committee and is joined on the panel by Borough Council President George Schnurr and Councilman John Newman.

Input was received from the Streets and Roads Department and the borough’s engineer, Cranmer Engineering.

The plan covers 2011 to 2016.

Councilman Michael DiBenedetto, who is the governing body’s liaison to the Streets and Roads Department, said the plan is subject to change based on several variables, most notably finances.

“We try to budget at least $400,000 each year for road improvements,” DiBenedetto said. “We use the same decision making process that is used by other municipalities. We use an engineering system of ratings. Each road is inspected. The road with the worst rating is the highest on the repair list.”

Bellina said weather can play a role in how the road improvement schedule is carried out.

“You may target one road for (improvements in) a certain year, but then due to a weather incident or emergency, you may have to move that targeted road down on the list and do what is a priority first,” he said. “A five-year plan is used as a tool to identify your infrastructure needs in advance. It helps to develop a thoughtful financial schedule for the future so you don’t have spikes. You attempt to maintain a consistent level of financing these needs for your infrastructure and your equipment as well.”

The following streets are listed for work during 2011: Hull Avenue, Bowne Avenue, Douglas Road, West George Street, (engineering work only. A Department of Transportation application for a grant is in place to receive funds for the road because West George Street intersects with state Route 33), Stillwell Place and Throckmorton Street (with funding from a Community Development Block Grant).

The following streets are listed for work in 2012: West George Street (roadwork and construction), Phyllis Road, (engineering work only. ADOT application for a grant is in place because Phyllis Road intersects with state Route 33), Jackson Terrace, McElwaine Drive and Stokes Street.

The following streets are listed for work in 2013: Avenue C, Hudson Street, Phyllis Road (road work and construction).

The following streets are listed for work in 2014: Schanck Street, Oak Street and Berkeley Place.

The following streets are listed for work in 2015: Ford Avenue and Murray Street.

The following streets are listed for work 2016: Yard Avenue, Factory Street and Second Avenue.

DiBenedetto said that as part of the 2011 capital budget and contract, road repairs will be performed at the following locations: a portion of Stokes Street; a portion of Schanck Street; the corner of Phyllis Road and Manalapan Avenue; the corner of Lenoir Avenue and Bannard Street; the corner of Throckmorton Street and Rhea Street; the corner of Schivera Avenue and Broadway.

And, the corner of Robertsville Road and Broadway; the cul-de-sac on McElwaine Drive; the corner of Duncan Way and East Main Street; the intersection of Second Street and Bond Street; the intersection of Ford Avenue and Lloyd Street; the corner of Washington Street and Jerseyville Avenue; the corner of Cottage Place and Lincoln Place; a portion of Clinton Street; and the corner of Briar Road and Brentwood Avenue.