By David Kilby, Special Writer
EAST WINDSOR — The township has chosen its engineering consultants for the planned bikeway that will extend the existing bikeway at the Disbrow Hill Playing Fields.
The state-funded bikeway will be 5,000-linear-feet long and eight-feet wide and will extend the 2,500- foot long bike path already on the site.
The new path will create a perimeter loop around the Disbrow Hill Playing Fields on Disbrow Hill Road starting at the end of the existing bike path and ending at the main parking lot on the site, reads the request for proposals for the project.
The path will be made of stone and two inches of asphalt.
The township received six project proposals for engineering services, and the lowest and most responsive proposal was received from BANC3 Inc. of Princeton for $6,858, reads the resolution authorizing the agreement.
The Township Council authorized the agreement with BANC3 on Tuesday night.
The money for the project comes from the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Local Aid Bikeway Program, through which East Windsor was awarded $100,000.
The NJDOT’s Bikeway Grant Program provides funds to counties and municipalities to promote bicycling as an alternate mode of transportation in New Jersey, reads the description of the program on the state of New Jersey’s website.
”A primary objective of the Bikeway Grant Program is to support the State’s goal of constructing 1,000 new miles of dedicated bike paths,” reads the website. “In an effort to establish regionally connected bicycle networks, this program is available to every municipality and county throughout New Jersey.”
The 57 acres of the Disbrow Hill Playing Fields are currently home to several athletic fields, a tree arboretum, wetlands and a parking area. The first portion of the Disbrow Hill Bikeway, finished in May, bisects the property from north to south.
Construction for the new bikeway is planned for Spring 2013 or as soon as weather conditions permit.
Jim Ott, director of business development for BANC3, said the firm “is confident that we can meet or exceed your expectations for this project,” adding that the company is familiar with East Windsor and can provide adequate staffing and resources, including more than 50 people who will be available to the township at a moment’s notice.
”We are excited to move forward on the design and thereafter construction of the new Disbrow Hill pathway, funded by a NJDOT $100,000 grant, which will further extend our recreation pathway system,” East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov told the Herald on Thursday.
Mayor Mironov continued, “The project will add a new one-mile, wonderfully scenic, bicycle trail looping around the new Disbrow Hill Playing Fields, which will link to the existing Etra Lake Park pathways as well as to an adjacent 121-acre township open space property.”

