A little look under the hood to see what's going on…..

 

             Over the past five-plus years as the Municipal Manager, the one thing that has become crystal clear to me is that significant capital improvement projects progress at a snail's pace, and rightfully so from the perspective of private citizens.  The pace is slow for various reasons, but most assuredly because the use of public funds requires compliance with local, state, and federal laws at every stage.  Though at times frustrating to navigate through, these laws are a good thing enacted with the best intentions.  This may not be readily apparent to some or most of you, but I offer it up to all of you to factor in when trying to wrap your head around why things take so long to complete!  Trust me when I tell you that work is happening even if it is not visible from your vantage point.  

            I thought I would take the time to inform you of the status of some of the projects that we continue to work on behind the scenes:

 The Pit Stop

             The "Pit Stop" is more formally known as 1175 Lawrence Road.   Historically, it was the site of several gasoline service stations, the last being the "Pit Stop."  To get you up to speed, I encourage you to check out my April 10, 2019, and July 12, 2021 articles in this blog.  Since then, we have completed the demolition of the long-standing and dilapidated building and are now working through the site's Remedial Investigation to determine the extent of environmental contamination.  We hope to meet with NJDEP in the coming months to discuss the project and our next steps in applying for additional funding to finalize the site clean-up.  The goal is for the site to be certified by the NJDEP to be "clean." We will then take ownership of the property and repurpose it as a passive community park with a gazebo and other aesthetically pleasing elements which are more appropriate for this prominently situated site within our town, turning it from a source of embarrassment to one of pride.

 Hero Dog Park

             Hero Dog Park will be constructed at the long underused Hamnett Park located on Ohio Avenue.  Please refer to my June 1, 2021, and June 17, 2021 blog articles for more background information.  We have the park advancing through the design plan phase (as we continue to hunt for grant funding).  In addition to two fenced-in areas (one for small and one for large dogs), the plans include a multipurpose walking path around the perimeter, pedestrian-scale lighting, shade structures, landscaping, and other related amenities.  We anticipate bidding on the project for construction in the fall of this year.  

Brunswick Streetscape

             Yeah, this one is taking long!  But I am happy to report that we received $700,000 in funding to install streetscape improvements along Business Route 1 from the Brunswick Circle to Lake Drive.  The project is in the final design stage and will include improved sidewalks, high visibility crosswalks, pedestrian-activated beacons, center median street trees, lighting, and other amenities.  Please refer to my February 20, 2022, blog article for more details.  We anticipate bidding on the project for construction in the fall of this year.

 Craven Lane Improvements

             The Township received an $80,000 grant for pedestrian safety improvements along Craven Lane between Lawrenceville Elementary School and US Route 206.  The project will include sidewalk and intersection improvements, high visibility crosswalks, and a pedestrian-activated beacon at the Johnson Trolley Line crossing.  This project is in the design phase, and we plan to bid the project for construction in early 2023.  We are also in the running for additional grant funding that may be a gamechanger on this project!

 Colonial Lake Park Improvements

             The Township received a $75,000 grant to install a multipurpose path through the recently acquired Sheft Property to complete the trail network around Colonial Lake.  This project is in the design and permitting phase, and we plan to bid the project for construction in early 2023.  We also intend to improve the recently acquired portion of the park (adjacent to the bowling lane) as a passive park with enhanced parking.

Electric Vehicle Fleet and Infrastructure

             The Township received an $8,000 grant to install a second fleet charging station at the Municipal Complex.  We are continuing to expand our fleet of electric cars to pursue our sustainable goals and reduce our GHG emissions.  We anticipate installation in the fall of this year.

Cold Soil Road Improvement

            The Township is planning improvements to Cold Soil Road this summer that will include a sidewalk connection along the east side of the roadway from US Route 206 to Bergen Street.  Back in 2020, the residents in this area petitioned the Township to evaluate the potential for a sidewalk connection.  In 2021 the Township applied for and received a $550,000 grant from NJDOT to improve the roadway and install the sidewalk connections.

LA Fitness

             The project is still on hold; however, there is a potential that it could get started this summer.  We are hoping to get an update from the ownership later this month.  As I have said publicly before, I think the addition of LA Fitness at the Lawrence Shopping Center is a critical piece to continue the resurgence of the center and the surrounding commercial sites along US Route 1.  So far, we can all agree that LSC is making a solid comeback with further improvements pledged by the owners.  Keep supporting our local businesses!

40 Enterprise Avenue Site

             The Township identified this property as an area in need of redevelopment.  After completing a preliminary investigation, it was determined that the site contained vacant, sub-standard, dilapidated structures that were unsafe and detrimental to the community's health, safety, and welfare.  A redevelopment plan was developed and adopted by the Planning Board and Governing Body.  In June of this year, we anticipate an application being heard before the Planning Board to create a 261,000 square foot warehouse with aesthetically pleasing elements that will significantly improve this long-languishing area just within the boundary of the Township next to the City of Trenton.   And before you say we don't need more warehouses in our town, I remind you that it doesn't work that way.  We don't get to tell private property owners what to do on their land.  Please refer to my December 1, 2020, blog article that explains the development process.  I also suggest that as long as we all love the convenience of ordering items online and having them delivered to our homes, we will need more warehouses.