By David Kilby, Special Writer
ROBBINSVILLE — The township is about to undergo a project that will replace many of the residential sidewalks in town being uplifted by the roots of nearby trees.
”(The Sidewalk Replacement Program) has been in process for about the past year,” said Joy Tozzi, township business administrator, in an email to the Messenger-Press. “We recently awarded the contract, and the actual construction should start within the next few weeks, and it will probably take six to eight weeks to complete.”
Various sidewalks where the tree roots are uplifting the sidewalk will be replaced, Councilwoman Sheree McGowan said in an email.
Washington Greene and The Ridings, both single-family home developments, are the developments where the work will take place, specifically where the sidewalks have been uplifted more than 1 inch due to tree roots where the trees have been planted between the curb and the sidewalk, Ms. Tozzi explained.
Washington Greene was built by the Toll Brothers in 1998 and consists of 98 homes, and The Ridings was built by Trafalgar in 1992 and has 33 homes, according to robbinsville-nj-homes-for-sale.com.
A-Team Concrete Inc., of South River, was awarded the bid for the project for $183,600, reads the resolution authorizing the contract with the company passed July 26. The next lowest bidder was MNC General Contracting Inc., of Old Bridge, which would have done the job for $245,331.43.
The trees will be uprooted, and some new trees will be planted, given the approval of the nearby homeowners.
”The (sidewalks) being replaced are hazardous,” Ms. McGowan said.
Anyone who has questions about the replacement program can call Dino Colarocco, Public Works director, at 609-259-0422.
