To Save Bridgewater Money, State Takes Responsibility for Maintaining Some Roads

In a move that will save Bridgewater at least a little bit of money, the township council approved a resolution Feb. 7 that gives most jurisdiction of an area of Route 22 to the state.

“There has been a hodge podge of jurisdiction from North Bridge to Grove streets,” Township Administrator Robert Bogart said. “But the state has picked up the majority of the responsibility.”

According to Bogart, there are jurisdictional issues where North Bridge Street crosses Route 22, in addition to where Grove Street crosses the highway. The jurisdiction, he said, spans over the township, county and state.

“The pecking order is always municipality, county and state,” he said. “But if there are intersecting roads, you have to see what each maintains.”

For example, Bogart said, in that area at Ronson Street, the traffic signal is owned by the state, but either the municipality or the county will pay the electrical costs.

Bogart said the question of jurisdiction came up as the state has been looking at recommended short-term improvements for Route 22 that would be made in the area of those roads.

“This agreement with the state was triggered by those improvement plans,” he said.

The state will be paying for all short-term improvements, and will now be responsible for highway maintenance at these areas, namely the area around North Bridge Street including that road, North Grove Street, Ivanhoe Avenue and Pannone Drive. The second area covered under the agreement is Foothill Road, including Foothill Road, Ronson Road and Finderne Avenue.

The short-term improvements as outlined in the include removing u-turns on the corridor near the Midas and the Bridgewater Diner.

“Bridgewater has come up the winner,” Bogart said. “This could save some money for the town.”