Hillsborough Township recently announced the completion of the first phase of their road paving program.
Municipal officials announced on June 11 that road paving on Clawson Avenue and Riverside Drive had been completed and that final striping is to follow.
“We will move forward with the next set of roads in the coming weeks,” Hillsborough Township Mayor Frank DelCore said in a statement.
Mayor DelCore also reminded residents that the public bid process for such work does take time. Additionally, he asked residents to exercise caution and patience when traveling through construction areas.
The following roadways are still slated for the 2019 paving program:
Willow Road, Phase 1 (between Amwell Road and Valinor Drive); Euclid Avenue; Wertsville Road (between Long Hill Road and Montgomery Road); Raider Boulevard (between Route 206 and Stryker Lane); South Triangle Road; Cardinal Lane; Wescott Road (between South Branch Road and Amwell Road).
Although these roads are listed and planned to receive work, township officials said that the timeline for completion of this project is subject to requirements per the township and the company who receives the contract.
Municipal officials noted that roadway improvement projects are costly than in the past as a result of mandated ADA requirements and NJDEP Storm Water Regulations. Officials said these mandates account for between 6% to 10% increase in project costs.
The ADA requirements include handicap ramps to provide allow ease of access and mobility for handicapped residents.
The storm water catch basins retrofits meet the NJDEP requirements and also provide a sustainable component, which the township is Sustainable Jersey Silver Certified.
“As we have previously mentioned, the township maintains a five-year roadway plan,” Mayor DelCore said.
He further explained that historically over the past decade, 14 roadways comprising 20.33 miles have been repaved. In addition, officials also said the township performs an extensive chip sealing program which enhances the longevity of the roadways; over 20 miles of township road ways have been chip sealed over the past 10 years.
The first completion of the township’s road program comes after Mayor DelCore announced in May that road paving work was set to begin in June.
The announcement came from the mayor following a unanimous decision from the township committee to pass a resolution on May 14 that awarded a contract for the “2019 Capital Roadway Resurfacing” to Top Line Construction Corporation. As part of the resolution, the costs for the work are not to exceed $2.58 million.
The resolution helped kick start the program as the municipality prepares to move forward with its road paving plan as part of an $8.5 million bond the township received last year aimed to enhance its aging infrastructure.
Township officials said that this work is necessary given that the town’s infrastructure has been compromised by severe weather, freeze and thaw, and resulted in the issuance of bonds to fund this major paving initiative.