ALLENTOWN – Municipal officials have authorized the borough’s engineer, the Roberts Engineering Group, to complete a design for and seek bids on phase II of Allentown’s historic streetscape project.
The Borough Council took the action during a recent meeting. In passing a resolution, officials said the Roberts Engineering Group has completed the topographic survey phase for phase II of the project. The cost to complete the design, plan, specifications, grant administration and requirements, meetings, permit applications, advertisement and recommendation for an award of contract can be completed in an amount not to exceed $135,000, according to the resolution.
The resolution was passed on March 27 by council President Thomas Fritts, Councilwoman Johnna Stinemire, Councilman John A. Elder III, Councilwoman Angela Anthony and Councilman Rob Schmitt. Councilman Robert Strovinsky was absent.
In December, council members adopted a bond ordinance appropriating $1.9 million and authorizing the issuance of $1 million in bonds and notes to finance a portion of the streetscape improvements.
Municipal officials have said a portion of the streetscape improvements will be paid for with grants Allentown has received for the initiative, specifically $854,000 from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority and $235,000 from the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Mayor Greg Westfall has said the improvements will include the replacement of deteriorated curbing and sidewalks and bring the area targeted for improvement into full compliance with standards established by the Americans With Disabilities Act.
The proposed improvements may extend west on Church Street to the borough limits and north on Main Street to Broad Street, he said.
Existing sidewalks are expected to be replaced with a combination of brick pavers and concrete, and concrete curb will be installed to match the improvements that were completed during the first phase of the streetscape project, according to the mayor.
In addition, street trees that are more suitable for streetscapes will be planted in place of any trees that have to be removed in order to properly reconstruct the sidewalks and curbs.
In other business on March 27, the council adopted an ordinance adopting the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code as Allentown’s property maintenance code “for the control of buildings and structures” as provided in the document. The vote to adopt the ordinance was unanimous. The International Property Maintenance Code is published by the International Code Council Inc.
During the past year, the governing body has taken several steps to address vacant and abandoned properties in the borough. The steps have included requiring the owners of vacant and abandoned properties to register with the borough.
The International Property Maintenance Code is a 65-page document which “establishes minimum requirements for the maintenance of existing buildings through model code regulations that contain clear and specific property maintenance and property improvement provisions.”