Boulevard Improvement Project Said to Be on Schedule

The borough is on schedule and preparing to go to bid next month for the next phases of upgrades to streets along the Boulevard, reported the borough’s engineer last week.

During the recent work session meeting Kenneth Job, borough engineer, told borough officials that they will be ready to go to bid in July for phases three and four which puts them ahead of schedule in the project as they will be completing phase four of the project about a year ahead of time.

The streetscape plan involves the upgrading of the Boulevard with new lighting, brick pavers and curbs. Each phase involves one block, both sides of the Boulevard. Last year the borough did work to the Boulevard from Washington to Kipp to Jefferson, the first two phases of the project, and now they are preparing to upgrade from Jefferson to Franklin to Hamilton.

Job reiterated that the ADA (American Disabilities Act) compliant barrier free handicap ramps will be incorporated into the plans for phases 3 and 4 now that the state has put in a zero tolerance policy for all new construction. As he had explained to the mayor and council back in April, the borough will have to wait for a state inspection on the first two phases to find out if the ramps will need to be redone in order to be compliant.

Funding for the Boulevard Streetscape Project comes predominantly from a state Department of Transportation grant . The borough has received $150,000 per each phase, or block of the Boulevard. The approximate cost of each phase is about $200,000 and the borough has put up the balance of around $50,000 per each phase.

Earlier this year when the borough received its fourth grant towards the project for phase 4 – Franklin to Hamilton – Job suggested the borough considering going to bid for work to be done to phases 3 and 4 together in order to save on costs and to stay ahead of the game with the project.

As previously reported, the borough plans to continue south on the Boulevard improving all streets up to the circle at Passaic Avenue. There are also plans to include some of the streets headed north on the Boulevard as well.