Wildwood Crest Residents Question Road Project Progress

WILDWOOD CREST – According to Dory Coe, a former Asbury Park Press reporter, she and fellow residents of the borough are having a hard time figuring out what is going on with the reconstruction project on New Jersey Avenue between Rambler Road and Jefferson Avenue.
Coe related that, in June, she had asked Mayor Carl Groon to provide residents with details of how their lives will be affected by the project. At that time Groon advised her that he was appointing a “point person” to keep the residents up to date with what was occurring.
Coe states that she has heard nothing more since then and that the borough website has nothing beyond an old project schedule from last spring. Coe emailed Groon again in August and received a reply from someone else that failed to answer her and her neighbor’s basic questions about what was going on. She feels very frustrated and hopes that the Herald can help provide some answers to the residents of the Crest.
The Herald contacted the Department of Public Works Assistant Superintendant Steve Shearer who acknowledged that the project includes replacing some infrastructure pipes to improve sanitary sewer lines and re-paving. He indicated that there are some issues with gas lines that must also be dealt with during this two-year project. He requested that contact be made with engineer James Verna of Van Note- Harvey Associates for details on the schedule and scope of the project.
Verna is senior project coordinator in charge of this project for the borough. He provided details and an updated project schedule (shown above). He acknowledged that the current township website has dated information and promises to replace the old project schedule with a current plan for this project going forward.
He stated that the schedule will be updated every two weeks on the borough website.
In summary, Verna stated that the project began in April and he anticipates that all work (weather permitting) will be completed by June 2015 except for surface course paving and final line striping on New Jersey Avenue between Southern MDL (Municipal Division Line) and Charleston Avenue.
Verna estimates that the project is 30 percent complete, adding that the Topeka Avenue sanitary pump station is 60 percent complete.
In general the project replaces or repairs sanitary sewer lines, manhole covers, sidewalks and ADA -compliant cut outs. It also includes new storm drainage mains, new water mains and other tasks that are detailed on the plan he is releasing.
Verna quoted the plan he has released as follows regarding homeowner access to their properties. “Property owners within the construction zones should anticipate the inability at times to access their driveways “ during the day, but that the contractor will do whatever is possible to restore access in the evenings.”
For detailed project construction information concerning your specific neighborhood, please check the Sept. 3 report provided by Van Note-Harvey that may be found on the Herald website: www.capemaycountyherald.com.