JACKSON – The Township Council has awarded a $2 million contract to C.J. Hesse Inc., Atlantic Highlands, and the firm will complete road improvements throughout Jackson.
Officials received bids from four firms that were seeking to be awarded the contract: C.J. Hesse, $1,991,954; Meco Inc., $2,188,590; Earle Asphalt, $2,192,613; and Stavola, $2,414,000.
Township Engineer Dan Burke recommended that the contract be awarded to C.J. Hesse, which was the lowest responsible bidder.
According to Burke, the maintenance work is largely a mill and overlay project, plus drainage improvements on several roads. There will also be road striping, limited sidewalk and curb replacement, and the installation of handicap curb ramps, he said.
“Basically, this project is maintenance for some of the township’s older roads,” Burke said.
According to information provided by municipal officials, the project will address issues on Adelphia Drive, Princeton Drive, Vassar Court, Bryant Drive, Brookwood Parkway, the intersection of Cambridge Drive and Timber Court, Yorkshire Drive, Bridge Court, South Carolina Street, Oklahoma Drive, Minnesota Drive, Missouri Street, Pennsylvania Avenue (between Wyoming Drive and East Connecticut Concourse), Bismark Road, Pleasant Grove Road, Henry Street, Elm Road, Poplar Street, Holly Street, Maple Street, Grawtown Road, Salem Lane, Colony Court, Carriage Court, Bruce Terrace and Allen Terrace.
C.J. Hesse will undertake road construction on Lombardi Street and Cozy Lane, and base repair at Jackson Pines Road.
In addition to the road work, the contract also includes a 1.5-inch overlay on the Camp Joy parking lot, the front lot at the senior center, and the front lot at the township annex building.
“It is an ongoing process, in my tenure here, we have been trying to do a project each year,” Burke said. “This project is just a continuation of the maintenance of our roads.”
Since 2002, Burke said, maintenance work has been completed on about 150 roads in town. He estimated that Jackson has more than 230 miles of paved roads, with an additional 100 miles of paved roads under Ocean County’s jurisdiction.
A private developer will undertake road work on Goldfinch Road, according to municipal officials.