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East County Line Widening Part Of $6.5 Million Road Improvement
OCEAN COUNTY - East County Line Road in Lakewood Township will be reconstructed and widened between Route 9 and Squankum Road under a $3.9 million contract to be awarded by the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
The Lakewood work is one of several road and drainage improvement contracts, totaling $6.5 million, that are slated to begin in the next few weeks.
"Spring is really our busy season," said Freeholder John P. Kelly. "We like to get the projects started early so the construction crews can take advantage of the good weather."
Starting work now ensures that some of the smaller projects can be completed before the summer tourism season begins, he said.
Along East County Line Road, much of the roadway will be widened to accommodate wider shoulders at some locations to widen from two and four lanes. Turn lanes will also be added at the Squankum Road and Princeton Avenue intersections, said Kelly who is also liaison to the Ocean County Engineers Office.
The project, which was awarded to P&A Construction, Inc. of Colonia, also includes improvements to Squankum Road north to the intersection with Kennedy Boulevard where a new traffic signal will be installed.
Construction is expected to be completed in about two years.
Work on North Green Street in Tuckerton Borough and Little Egg Harbor Township is also set to begin next month.
The $385,513 project, awarded to Earle Asphalt Co., Farmingdale includes rebuilding and resurfacing the road from Route 9 to Hickory Lane.
New drainage and curbs are also included in the contract, said Freeholder James F. Lacey, who is liaison to the Ocean County Road Department.
A right turn lane will also be added on Route 539 at Nugentown Road. Work should be completed by early summer, Lacey said.
Also on tap for the spring is the next phase of resurfacing of Long Beach Boulevard from the Ship Bottom Borough line south to Beach Haven.
The $1.4 million project includes resurfacing of selected portions of the roadway.
The first phase of the project was completed in 2006. C.J. Hesse, Inc. of Belford, which completed last year's work, was also the low bidder on the new project.
Kelly said the work will be finished before the start of the summer tourist season.
The final contract awarded by the freeholders allocates $694,614 for improvements to various storm drains around the county.
New systems will be installed in the drains to collect more dirt and sediment before it flows in nearby lakes, rivers, streams or the bay, Kelly said.
"We're upgrading these drainage systems to meet new state Department of Environmental Protection clean water requirements," Kelly said. "The less dirt, sand sediments that enter the water, the better for our environment."
E Sambol Corp. of Toms River will complete the work at the following locations: Leesville Road in Jackson Township, Route 539 in Plumstead Township, Grand Central Parkway in Berkeley Township, Princeton Avenue in Brick Township, Garden Street in Toms River Township and Bay Parkway in Ocean Township.
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