Sayreville secures grant for Stevens Ave. work

November 19, 2009

SAYREVILLE - The borough has secured a $300,000 grant from the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to be used on roadway improvements.

The grant will target Stevens Avenue, which runs parallel to South Pine Avenue, east of Route 35. The road is in poor condition, according to Borough Engineer Jay Cornell. He said the road has drainage problems, poor or inconsistent curbing, and the pavement is in poor condition.

"All those things will be addressed with the improvements," Cornell said.

The borough applied for the grant in June and was notified by the DOT a few weeks ago that it will receive the funds.

At the Nov. 2 Borough Council meeting, Cornell recommended that the council move forward by authorizing the design for the improvements. The project will be designed over the winter so that construction can begin next spring or summer, according to Cornell.

The state′s Municipal Aid program, which funded the project, increased its total statewide aid by $25 million, or 31 percent, from last year. The increase allowed the program to reach 87 more municipalities than last year, totaling 457. The Transportation Trust Fund (TTF), an independent agency of the state government whose mission is to finance the costs of transportation improvements, funds the program. The DOT was able to increase its awards by consolidating existing TTF funds.

Towns are awarded money following a competitive process that involves field investigations, engineering evaluations, and assessments of proposed projects, according to the DOT.

"Every dollar of this aid means one less dollar in property taxes that will have to be paid," said Assemblyman John Wisniewski. "This money will help maintain our communities′ quality of life while easing pressure on local property tax rates."