Bridgewater-Raritan $155M School Referendum Reaches Halfway Mark

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — The $155 million Bridgewater-Raritan School Referendum is now halfway complete.

Alexis Goldman of Solutions Architecture presented a referendum status update to the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional Board of Education on Feb. 24.

Goldman reported that significant progress has been made across all district buildings. The referendum is currently tracking at break-even within its approved budget.

During the construction process, Goldman said the district encountered some issues that caused pricing to increase, including discovering asbestos and recent tariffs, "which have increased material costs and even affected labor costs."

To cover cost increases the district tapped into its surplus.

"We are through a lot of the big stuff, like the additions and some of these things. So we should be in good shape," said Goldman. "Mechanical is really the ones that have been coming over budget. So we just have to watch out for those and manage that."

This ensures that projects are being completed without exceeding the allocated funds.

Completed projects include the High School Auditorium renovation and the Basilone Memorial Field House. District-wide secure vestibules have also been installed. Full-day kindergarten classroom renovations were finished at seven schools, alongside toilet renovations at multiple buildings.

Other completed work includes boiler upgrades, window replacements, and clock and speaker system upgrades.

Active construction continues on several major projects within the district. These include the Middle School Addition and Middle School Interior Renovations.

HVAC upgrades are underway at multiple schools, as is the Bradley Gardens Addition. Primary school toilet room renovations are also part of the ongoing work.

Upcoming projects include Science Renovations at the Middle School, along with Site Improvements at both the High School and Middle School.

Further HVAC and gymnasium upgrades are also planned.

Full completion of all referendum projects is anticipated by 2030. The final phase will focus on roofing and site improvements, which were intentionally sequenced last to protect previously completed work.

"We will continue, especially now that we're halfway through, we'll continue to simplify elements, implement value engineering tactics, adjust scope as needed, and hopefully keep everything in line the way we've gotten to at this point," said Goldman.

The district shared a video of the progression of the middle school construction:

The referendum work paved the way for the district to roll out full-day kindergarten for the first time ever.

The full-day kindergarten program will be fully implemented for the 2026-27 school year. Registration is now open for families from Bridgewater Township and Raritan Borough.

Families who register will receive special information for Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District’s launch of the Full-Day Kindergarten Program.

To register:

• Registration link
• enlace de inscripcion

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