By John Tredrea, Special Writer
Improvements to the roadway surface and drainage system on West Prospect Street in Hopewell Borough are covered by two proposed bond ordinances, introduced by the Borough Council on June 1.
The work can proceed if the two ordinances are adopted as expected at the council’s July meeting.
West Prospect Street, at 1,150 feet, is one of the longest streets in the borough. There are many residences on either side of the street, which provides access to the county- and borough- owned Hopewell Park at the eastern end of the street.
It also provides access to several residences located just over the borough line in adjacent Hopewell Township.
“The majority of the existing roadway surface on West Prospect Street is in poor condition with many soft spots, broken pavement and utility trenches,” Borough Administrator Michele Hovan said. “A portion of the eastern end of the street, near the Lanning Avenue intersection, received a 1-inch overlay in 2013 because the surface was extremely rough. The remainder of the street has had no improvements since sometime in the early 1980s.”
Ms. Hovan said that, while there are drainage inlets at West Prospect’s intersections of Lanning and Ege avenues, the 500-foot-long area between those two points has no drainage.
“Because that area is so flat, standing water is a problem long after a rainfall,” she said. “Without a drainage system, the water must evaporate in order for the ponding along gutter area of the road to dry. The lack of drainage and an insufficient crown in the road has contributed to a steady deterioration of the roadway surface and subgrade.”
The borough has a 5-year road program and rating system to plan its road improvement program, Ms. Hovan said.
“We have been using that mathematical rating system, which considers road and curb condition, drainage and traffic, for nearly 20 years with great success,” she said. “This year, West Prospect Street rated as the second worst road in the borough. The road that was rated the worst was Washington Avenue.”
The borough has applied to the state Department of Transportation for grant funding that, if received, would be used to pay for work on West Prospect Street and Washington Avenue.
