Morris Freeholders Announce 4th Consecutive Year of Enhanced Road Paving Schedule

Published on February 28, 2017

COUNTY TARGETING WORK ON 32.7 MILES OF COUNTY ROADS

(JPG, 1MB) Senior County Engineer Richard Johnson and Freeholder John Cesaro inspecting Prospect Street in Dover

The Morris County Board of Freeholders has announced the 2017 list of county road paving projects that will target nearly 33 miles across 15 municipalities at a total cost of $9 million, in a continuation of the board's continuing policy of maintaining and improving the county's high quality road network.

For 2017, the freeholders have allocated $5.1 million in the county's capital budget for paving, combined with nearly $3.9 million in anticipated state funding to finance paving projects.

The county also is advancing projects for roadss not paved, as expected, in 2016 due to delays caused by a state government stalemate over financing of the State Transportation Trust Fund.

We are very aware of the importance of properly maintaining our county road network in a first-rate county like Morris County,'' said Freeholder John Cesaro, the county governing board's liaison on public works and roads.

It is a key factor in maintaining the high quality of life for our residents, visitors, medical and educational institutions, and businesses,'' Cesaro added.

(JPG, 771KB) Senior County Engineer Richard Johnson and Freeholder John Cesaro

Portions of county roads scheduled for paving in 2017 are located in Boonton, Boonton Township, Chatham Township, Dover, Hanover, Jefferson, Lincoln Park, Long Hill, Montville, Pequannock, Morristown, Morris Township, Morristown, Parsippany, Randolph, Roxbury, and Washington Township. This effort is in addition to any local or state road-improvement projects.

Some of the more extensive work will include portions of Valley Road in Long Hill, East Main Street in Boonton Township, Whippany Road in Hanover and Parsippany, Eyland Avenue in Roxbury, Meyersville Road in Long Hill and Chatham Township, and Jacksonville Road in Montville, Pequannock and Lincoln Park.

Freeholder Director Doug Cabana

We want to assure county residents that the freeholder board is committed to this effort. To allow our roads to fall into disrepair would not be acceptable,'' said Freeholder Director Doug Cabana.

We will make every effort to notify motorists in advance of upcoming road projects, to make sure required police presence and/or detours are in place, and that we cause the least disruption possible.''

To see the complete list of currently scheduled 2017 county paving projects, visit: http://transportation.morriscountynj.gov/2017-paving/

The Freeholders over the past four years have made the maintenance of the county's 287-mile road network a priority issue, even committing county capital funds to paving last year despite a possibility that the Transportation Trust Fund stalemate might not yield state funds.

In addition, to expedite projects, the freeholders for the past few years have approved short-term financing to allow the county to bid projects early in the season and move full-speed-ahead during the spring and summer on a full slate of road repaving

The board earlier this month awarded contracts for four paving projects: Mountain Avenue in Long Hill, Prospect Street in Dover and Randolph, Loantaka Way in Chatham Township, and James Street in Morristown and Morris Township. The start date for 2017 projects depends upon, among other factors, the late winter and early spring weather.(JPG, 6KB)

In creating the 2017 road-paving list, the county used an extensive assessment of its entire road network done in late 2015, as part of an effort to create a pavement management program for future road improvement and resurfacing projects.

Hamilton, N.J.-based consultant Michael Baker Jr. Inc's team literally drove every mile of county roads with a special vehicle to assess damage and deterioration rates. The raw data collected by this process is aiding the county in prioritizing work and determining appropriate roadway maintenance measures.

It is anticipated that a similar effort will be conducted on a regular cycle to enhance the county visual road inspections.