Montclair Streets: Which Ones Will Be Improved Next?

Tired of potholes around town? Maybe a few of them are about to get fixed.

The Township Engineering Bureau has come out with its latest proposed six-year capital plan for street improvement projects with an eye towards repairing roads where needed in all parts of Montclair.

According to the plan, some of the first streets to be targeted include parts of Park Street, Label Street, and South Mountain Avenue.

To see the complete list of proposed projects go here.

The capital plan has been developed based on an assumed budget of roughly $1 million per year.

The plan does not include costs for the reconstruction of South Park Street as special appropriations have been made by the township council for that particular project.

Mayor Jerry Fried said Monday that, in response to the economic downturn, the current township council has held off on a lot of "regular" capital spending over the last three years, including the completion of various street projects.

"Although the prior council bonded around $4 million a year, we've cut that down to around $1.5 million, mostly funding critically important projects like roofing, necessary vehicles, and items that would pose a danger if they weren't done," he said. "We make these capital budget decisions on the same schedule as our operating budget: manager introduces 'his' budgets in mid-January and the council creates our budgets in the months following.

"In the long-term, Montclair will have to increase its capital outlays for street resurfacing, as the cost of repairs and the dangers of poor maintenance will soon outweigh the perceived benefits in tax-relief," he said. "Because of many of the structural changes that have been made to the municipal budget, we are operating with a lean workforce, and more resurfacing will be absolutely necessary over the coming years."

In its report, the Montclair Township Engineering Bureau figured out where improvements should be made based on an evaluation system that rates street condition on a number of factors: pavement, curb condition, drainage, and intensity of use. For more information on these factors go here or call the Engineering Department at 973-509-5707.

One large project listed for 2013 is the improvement of Upper Mountain Avenue from Edgewood Road to Watchung Avenue at a cost to the township of $738,000. Another large project listed for 2016 is the improvement of Highland Avenue from Windsor Place to the Little Falls line at a cost to the township of $837,000.

Improvements generally include paving, drainage, and reconstructed curbs.