Crest funds drainage improvements

Last Updated on Thursday, January 31, 2013 11:11 am Written by Christie Rotondo Thursday, January 31, 2013 11:10 am

WILDWOOD CREST- Borough commissioners introduced two ordinances securing $170,000 in funding for storm drain improvements along Lake Avenue at the Jan. 23 meeting.

These improvements, which borough administrator Kevin Yecco said would not begin until the spring, are continuations of a previous west side drainage project. These ordinances extend the previous project onto Heather and Lavender roads between Lake Avenue and Park Boulevard. 

The $170,000 was appropriated through two ordinances: an excess proceeds ordinance and a capital improvement ordinance.

The excess proceeds ordinance appropriated $119,000 for improvements to the storm sewer system, and the capital ordinance appropriated $51,000. Yecco said that the excess proceeds ordinance uses surplus funds from previously adopted ordinances, while the capital ordinance attributes money to the storm sewer project from the capital improvement fund.

“There is no new debt being created by these two ordinances,” Yecco said.

After the funding is secured for the projects, Yecco said, they will be put out to bid. After the project begins, he said that it should be completed within about 30 days.

Funding for additional street improvements was bonded late last year as well.

In November 2012, the Crest approved a $13 million bond for additional street improvement projects that will also replace the sanitary sewer system, storm drainage system, curbs and gutters, as well as allow for water utility improvements and the reconstruction of the roadway along New Jersey Avenue from Rambler Road to Jefferson, as well as some streets to the east and west of New Jersey Avenue.

“The infrastructure is just in a seriously deteriorated state,” Yecco said. “Reconstruction of the entire route is necessary.”

Construction for this project is set to start in 2014, and the project is expected to be completed by May 2015. No work will be completed on the project from Memorial Day through Labor Day of 2014, according to commissioners.

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