NJDOT Funds Laurel Boulevard Roadway Development Project

The NJ Department of Transportation (NJDOT) recently announced $200,000 in funding for the Laurel Boulevard Roadway Development Project.

According to Director of Public Works Casey Parker, traveling towards Route 9 from Laurel Boulevard has been a problematic transition.  The Township plans to reconfigure the transition from the undivided are to the area divided by islands smother, he said.

“The approach into the divided section is kind of awkward so we’re going to try to smooth that out and make the approach a lot easier and a lot safer then it is right now,” Parker said.

A design has not been developed yet but the township does have a conceptual plan prepared, Parker said.

Parker said curbs will be put in, resurfacing of the entire roadway to Basin Road, and some of the landscaping on the islands between the two lanes will be removed. A new planting design would most likely be incorporated in the plans.

The Township will also make improvements to drainage structure and storm drains to bring them into compliance with storm water management guidelines, Parker said.

The Township is looking to put bicycle safe grates to prevent debris or trash from entering the storm water basins.

The project has been roughly estimated to cost $250,000 to $300,000. Parker believes bids will come in for a lot less but the township will have to appropriate the necessary funds to have the township engineer create design plans and for construction administration.

“It’s going to rely on a certain amount of dollars out of our pocket. Fortunately with the economic times that we are in, certainly we’re seeing prices a lot lower than we’ve seen in the last number of years,” Mayor Gary Quinn said. “We’re getting more distance out of dollars now then we did six, seven years back.”