Leeham Avenue to Get Pavement Reconstruction

What follows is an account of actions taken on Oct. 11 and Oct. 15 by the Bridgewater Township Council, which, while not breaking news, are still of note.

Road improvements to be made on Leeham Avenue

The council unanimously approved a resolution to award a contract to Stilo Excavation Inc. for road improvements on Leeham Avenue-Hillside Avenue to Ash Street.

The project is for the sum of $157,822.84.

“This was identified in the capital budget and road tour,” said township administrator James Naples. “It is badly in need of improvements.”

The project will consist of pavement reconstruction and incidental work, and Leeham Avenue between Hillside Avenue and Ash Street will be repaved.

Mine Road improvements approved

The council unanimously approved a resolution to award a second contract to Stilo Excavation Inc. for more road resurfacing work for the sum of $148,675.50.

According to the resolution, there will be resurfacing done on Mine Road between Crim and Mountaintop roads.

“This is mill and overlay, and we want to get it done before the cold weather sets in,” said township administrator James Naples, “which we believe we can do.”

Bradley Gardens INI project decreases in cost

The council unanimously approved a resolution for a decrease in costs for work done on the Bradley Gardens Inflow and Infiltration Improvement Project.

The costs, which are being paid to National Water Main Cleaning Co. that handled the project, are decreasing from $478,917.78 to $467,023.48.

Township administrator James Naples said this was a pilot program the township did, and it was very successful.

“We provided a detailed report that demonstrated clearly that we have achieved a significant amount of inflow into the pipes,” he said.

But the costs for engineering and inspection services related to this project, and done by Lee T. Purcell Associates, did increase from $234,400 to $255,820.

Naples said the project required more inspections than they had originally anticipated, and the township now has to pay for the extra work.

“When they do a liner on the pipe, it requires much more intensive inspections,” he said of the additional state requirements for inspections. “We were required to have Purcell on the site much more than we planned because of that.”

But overall, Naples said, the project was successful, and the pipes should be in good condition for the next 50 years.

“We did successfully reduce INI into the system,” he said. “And we were successful in greatly reducing the disruption to the neighborhoods. We did it without disrupting the roads, and having much less inconvenience.”

Township preparing to repair manholes

The council unanimously approved two resolutions that award contracts for manhole repairs throughout the township.

The first is to Montana Construction Corp., Inc. for the North Branch Trunk, section one, of the Bridgewater sewer system, with replacement of manhole covers, vent pipe installation and site restoration.

The cost of the project is $268,400.

The second contract is to the same company for the third section of the North Branch Trunk, and will include similar repairs.

This contract is for $312,800.

Township to repair sewers in Finderne area of town

The council approved a resolution for work on the sanitary sewer rehabilitation project in the Finderne area of town, similar to that which was done in Bradley Gardens.

“The Finderne lines are collapsing, so this project is treating more the age of the sewer,” said township engineer Robert Bogart. “This is the oldest part of our sewer system.”

The contract is going to Jo-Med Contraction Corporation, for $501,110.