Some of Weehawken’s streets are about to receive a complete facelift, courtesy of the state Department of Transportation.
Beginning Thursday, Aug. 16 and running through Aug. 26, six township streets will be completed milled and then paved, as well as receive handicapped access ramps at each intersection, and each rain catch basin will be repaired or replaced.
According to Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner, the major road work is being done courtesy of a $240,000 grant from the state DOT.
"Through the efforts of our legislators in Trenton, namely Assembly Speaker [Albio] Sires, Assemblyman [Rafael] Fraguela and State Sen. [Bernard] Kenny, we’re able to receive state funding that enables us to repave some of our streets every year," Turner said. "It’s an annual program and it’s been a successful program. It improves the quality of life by making the appearance of the streets better. It eliminates potholes and makes each neighborhood safer."
The streets that will receive the milling and paving work are:
- Clifton Terrace
- Potter Place
- 47th Street
- Oak Street
- Maple Street
- Ridgeley Place.
"These streets haven’t been repaved and milled in about 10 years," Turner said. "We try to do all of our streets in a cycle. By the fall, all of our streets will have been repaved and our catch basins will have been repaired within the last 10 years."
However, the work does cause some inconvenience for local residents, especially vehicle owners.
Local residents are advised that they have to obey the strict Emergency No Parking signs that will posted on their respective streets a few days before the work is expected to begin.
"The vehicles must be moved by 7 a.m. until the milling and paving is completed on that street," Turner said. "The residents must move their cars or we have no other choice but to tow the cars. The rules therefore have to be strictly enforced. Once the milling and paving is done, the residents can then park their cars again in the evening hours. Our police department is making the entire area Emergency No Parking to help the milling and paving."
Good program
Turner said that a letter has been mailed to each residence in the neighborhood, and fliers are being handed out explaining the emergency parking rules.
"Each resident in the neighborhoods where we are paving should receive a notice in the mail by Monday [tomorrow]," Turner said. "We’re also distributing the fliers, just in case they didn’t see their mail for some reason. It’s an important part of the process."
Turner said that making the streets safer and more efficient has always been a priority during his administration.
"If motorists drive through Weehawken, you can’t help but notice that our streets are always in excellent condition," Turner said. "A good part of that reason is this program, because we’re able to fix our streets every year with state dollars and no cost to the taxpayers. Our streets endure a lot of wear and tear, so it’s important to continue this program, by applying for the funds, by making sure the streets get repaved every year."
Turner said that the town has applied for another state DOT grant that would call for the repaving and milling of four other streets (Hauxhurst Avenue, Sterling Place, Jefferson Street and Denning Place) in the fall. Once that project is completed, then every single street in the township would have received a facelift within the last decade.
"Plus, having the curbing at the intersections have handicapped access ramps is also important," Turner said. "All of our streets will have those as well."