Boro moves forward with sidewalk project
BY VINCENT TODARO
Staff Writer

SPOTSWOOD - The Borough Council has paved the way for improvements to Summerhill Road, but other road improvements will have to wait, at least for the time being.

At its meeting last week, the council awarded a contract to Big Daddy Construction, which will install sidewalks on portions of Summerhill Road in order to fill in some gaps.

The council also was prepared to award a contract for roadway improvements to several smaller roads but pulled the bid award at the last minute. Council President Curtis Stollen told the Sentinel that Borough Attorney Gary Schwartz needs to examine the bid to make sure there are no problems.

The $277,835 bid came from Meco Inc., but Stollen said the company has not done work recently in Spotswood, so the bid will be closely examined. Unless irregularities are determined by the attorney, Meco will be considered the lowest bidder.

The contract could be awarded at the next council meeting.

The project includes work on roads including Walnut Street, Jackson Street and Wilson Avenue. The project would include repaving, as well as curb and sidewalk repairs where needed.

For the Summerhill Road project, the $222,362 award will cover the entire cost of the sidewalks on Summerhill Road. Some of that will be funded with a state grant.

The project includes laying sidewalks in front of Inland Container, which is across from the municipal building, as well as a home across the street. The home has been surrounded by a hedgerow and never had sidewalks.

"We needed some right of way from the home because there have been no sidewalks in front of the house," Stollen said

When the project is complete, there will be a continuous sidewalk on one side of Summerhill Road, thus allowing people to walk from Main Street to Old Stage Road.

East Brunswick is putting sidewalks on its section of the road.

The work also includes drainage improvements, he said.