We would like to provide our residents with information on two road improvement projects underway or about to begin in Montgomery Township. Community-enhancing projects such as these are a high priority of the Montgomery Township Committee, which often works in cooperation with State and County officials and staff to advocate, plan and budget for needed projects and bring them to fruition.
"Continued maintenance and improvements of our roads is an important part of our efforts to better serve the Township," said Mayor Pat Graham. "We are pleased to see two new great road projects underway and we are planning more projects in the future."
Deputy Mayor Ed Trzaska added, "Over the past few years, we have aggressively invested in our township roads and infrastructure. The Bridgepoint Road project is a critical part of this initiative. Our efforts also include partnership with our Somerset County colleagues and we are thrilled to see the next section of Route 601 being repaved this month."
Specific information on these two overlay projects in Montgomery:
Bridgepoint Road - A Montgomery Township Road Overlay Project
The Township's Bridgepoint Road overlay project began last week. The project consists of milling and paving from Dead Tree Run Road to Updikes Mill Road, with selected curb and sidewalk repair and accessible ramp repair. The project was awarded to Top Line Construction for $321,694.28 in April. The 2015 NJDOT local aid grant amount awarded to Montgomery, being used to offset this project's cost, is for $162,000. Bridgepoint Road had particularly rough paving, according to Township Engineer Gail Smith, and it was due time for resurfacing work.
According to Township Police, the project will take several weeks and will not shut down Bridgepoint Road or adjoining streets. There may be alternating traffic with daily work commencing no sooner than 7:00 a.m. and ending by 5:00 p.m.
County Route 601 - A Somerset County Repaving Project
The repaving of a section of Belle Mead / Blawenburg Road, aka County Route 601, is scheduled for evenings this week, as part of Somerset County's overlay project. Each year the county rates the condition of its roads and prioritizes them for repaving accordingly, based on pavement condition, coordination with other planned work and underground utility work. Money is allocated as part of the county's capital budgeting process and a contract is bid. Last year Route 601 was paved from Route 206 to Grandview Drive. This year the paving will continue south from Grandview to the intersection with Route 518. The majority of this roadway was last paved in 1998.
According to Somerset County Freeholder Mark Caliguire, who is a former Montgomery mayor, "Infrastructure maintenance is a high priority in our annual county budget. We try to accomplish these projects with as little disruption as possible to residents and motorists."
The contractor, Della Pello Paving, Inc. will be milling and paving in the area between Georgetown Franklin Turnpike (County Route 518) and Grandview Drive next week at night and will require three or four nights to complete. Specifically, the work is scheduled for Tuesday, May 17, through Thursday, May 19, from 8:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.; however the contractor's schedule is weather-dependent and is subject to change. While it is anticipated that one lane will remain open with alternating traffic through the work area to accommodate local traffic, detour route guidance will be set up on Route 206 and Route 518 for non-local traffic.
Thank you for your patience as we work together to improve our roads.
