Lake Barnegat Drive Drainage Project to Begin

Lake Barnegat Drive residents will soon have relief from flooding as the township committee awarded CJ Hesse the contract for the drainage project at a caucus meeting on Thursday.

The committee voted unanimously to award the contract, which would enable CJ Hesse to begin work as early as Thursday, Nov. 17. The project will take about two weeks to complete, Township Administrator Veronica Laureigh said.

The township recently was awarded a $250,000 grant for road improvements to the area but in July, there was a misunderstanding and by a vote of three to five, the committee voted against the drainage issues and

The township already , which covered the paving of Lake Barnegat Drive North and Musket Road as well as Musket to around Continental Court. That portion of the project was completed in September.

to voice their concerns, as Hurricane Irene would soon sweep through the area.

The Easy Street retention basin fails and floods Lake Barnegat Drive homes three to four times a year. Whenever there is heavy and constant rain, the water leads right up to resident’s doorsteps. When the flooding recedes, it takes their lawns with it and leaves behind bacteria, garbage, waste and deceased rodents.

The retention basin was constructed years ago to improve drainage issues the area would have during heavy rains but a smaller pipe than necessary was installed.

Drainage improvements were also made in 2007 but the work only reduced and did not eliminate the flooding.

The cost of improving the retention basin is over $107,000, Laureigh said.