Improvements to Route 17 Water Basin Underway

Improvements to the water basin at the base of Franklin Avenue at Route 17 South are now in progress as the state Department of Transportation has recently agreed to correct many of the problems the borough has brought to their attention since the basin was constructed.

Kenneth Job, the borough engineer, told the mayor and council Tuesday night that the modifications the DOT is making to the basin are basically many of the suggestions the borough had made when the basin was first built.

Job reported that some of the improvements include replacing the strip of grass surrounding the fence with cement so there is no longer a need to maintain the grass. Upon visiting the site Thursday one could see that this improvement has already been made. Also, the DOT has also agreed to put in a low-flow channel that way any water that sits in the pockets can be absorbed into the ground or into the drains.  

Job stated that during the recent meeting he and Mayor Rose Heck had with DOT officials, project design engineer, environmental consultant and contractor, the environmental consultant had agreed completely that the a low – flow channel was a must for the site.

Originally the area that is now the water basin was a traffic island. The DOT came in and reconstructed the area into a fenced in water basin while making recent improvements to Route 17.

The DOT did not need the borough’s permission to reconstruct the area but borough officials have openly stated that they wished their borough engineer had been consulted as all the concerns and issues the borough feared it would have with the site became reality. These concerns included lack of maintenance, debris and drainage problems which could pose a threat to the neighborhood and adjacent athletic field.

Although some of the issues are being attended to, lack of maintenance to the vegetation and debris collection at the site may still be an ongoing issue, Job added.