East Brunswick introduces $2M bond ordinance for road improvements

STAFF/ANDREW HARRISON
Pedestrian crossing sign at Penn Harbourton Road in Hopewell Township on Feb. 18.

EAST BRUNSWICK–The Township Council introduced a $2.375 million bond ordinance to provide funding for various roadway improvements and repairs.

Before the council voted on the ordinance, Business Administrator Joseph Criscuolo said the large amount is not all coming from township funds and that the township received a $1.3 million grant from the 2020 Fiscal Year Local Freight Impact Fund Program for Edgeboro Road and Brick Plant Road improvements.

“[A] second grant that we received was for Riva [Avenue], which will be road resurfacing including all working materials necessary to do a portion of that road. The grant was another $555,000, and the remainder will be for various road improvements throughout the town that we do every year,” Criscuolo said.

The $555,000 grant from the Department of Transportation’s Fiscal Year Municipal Aid Program, according to the council agenda.

When Mayor Brad Cohen took office, Criscuolo said he made a commitment to repairing a lot of the roads in the town.

“So this is part of the yearly road program that we’ve been working on to continue to improve the roadways in the community, and I just wanted to make [the council] aware before [it] voted on this particular ordinance,” Criscuolo said.

The council introduced and approved the $2.375 million bond ordinance which will help fund the various roadway improvements at a total cost of $4.355 million on Nov. 9 during the council meeting via video conference. The second and final reading is scheduled for Nov. 23.

Regarding the $125,000 down payment, no down payment is required in accordance with state law since the improvements or purposes are being funded by the state grants, according to the council.

The bond ordinance and grant funding will help pay for the following:

  • Riva Avenue resurfacing including all work and materials necessary.
  • Edgeboro Road Improvements Project, including Egdeboro Road and Brick Plant Road resurfacing construction and improvements including curb replacement as necessary and ADA-compliant curb ramps, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection complaint storm inlet grates, striping and signage, including all work and materials necessary.

This bond ordinance will take effect 20 days after the first publication and final adoption, according to the council.

For more information, visit www.eastbrunswick.org/129/Agendas-Minutes.

Contact Vashti Harris at vharris@newspapermediagroup.com.

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