Aberdeen Modifies Rt. 34 Sidewalk Project Plans

The Aberdeen Township Council modified plans for the construction of a new concrete sidewalk on Route 34 at their meeting Tuesday night.

The plan originally submitted to the New Jersey Department of Transportation included the construction of a concrete sidewalk starting from the existing one just south of South Atlantic Avenue and ending at the township boundary. It also included the reconstruction of Locust Street and Grove Street, as the town had combined the two projects to go to bid only once, explained Township Attorney Daniel McCarthy.

Aberdeen received funding for the project from a $160,000 grant through the 2010 Local Aid Infrastructure Fund Act. However, the cost of the sidewalk was higher than expected. McCarthy said the increase in cost came from an underestimation of the cost in conjuction with additional requirements by NJDOT for the sidewalk.

According to a resolution concerning the improvements, "NJDOT required additional curb and guard rail upgrades throuough the original project limits which drove the cost above the Township's budgeted amount for the project."

To keep the project within the amount of the grant, explained McCarthy, the township reduced the length of the sidewalk. The sidewalk will still be about four feet wide, but will run approximately 1,500 feet, starting just south of South Atlantic Avenue and ending at Brookview Lane. 

The township plans to award the contract for the sidewalk improvements by March 30, 2012.