BY ELAINE VAN DEVELDE
Staff Writer
TINTON FALLS — Thanks to a $100,000 state grant, the way is now paved for a smoother road in the borough.
The state Department of Transportation (DOT) recently doled out the money from its trust fund to repave Shark River Road in the southern end of town.
Since the road connects the major roadways of Shafto (county Route 547) and Wardell roads, it was considered a priority for improvements.
Assemblymen Michael J. Panter and Dr. Robert L. Morgan (both D-Monmouth/Mercer) presented the check to officials at the regular council meeting Feb. 1.
“With so many new residents moving into our municipalities, it’s critical that we keep our infrastructure, particularly our roads, in good shape,” Morgan said.
The funding is expected to cover nearly all of the costs of the one project, and officials are pleased and gearing up to undertake a road improvement program, which will cover certain neighborhoods one at a time.
“We’re very pleased to have received the funds from DOT for this one particularly expensive project,” council President Jerome Donlon said. “Shark River Road, luckily, met all the DOT criteria for eligibility for the funding. It is a major thoroughfare in and connector. In addition, sewer work was done there, which is an improvement, but the roads took a beating.”
Mayor Ann McNamara explained that after the sewer work, Shark River Road was patched, but still bumpy and not very attractive.
“This $100,000 will go toward making life a lot less sloppy for the residents and people who traverse that section of town,” McNamara said.
Donlon added that the borough is taking a new approach to road improvements in the near future.
“In the past, we approached resurfacing and infrastructure projects road by road on a needs basis,” he said. “Now, we are embarking on a roads improvement project by neighborhoods. It’s more economical that way because all road problems in one area can be addressed at the same time, while the workers are there. In addition, it’s better psychologically for residents. If an improvement is being done near their street, they’ll know they’re coming next.”
T&M Associates, an engineering firm in Middletown, is currently conducting a visual survey of neighborhoods to determine a priority list and start work, Donlon added.
The capital improvement project does not have a price tag yet.