News Flash

October 26, 2022

The paving job on Glenside Road is complete; the road was reopened in its entirety around 4 pm Wednesday. Striping will occur next week. 

On Thursday, October 27, the paving crew will finish paving Roosevelt Avenue; please note that work will not begin until after morning dropoff. All residents in the paving area of Roosevelt can park their cars further up Roosevelt (near Toll Brothers) to ensure they can get in and out of their residences as needed during the paving, since cars will not be allowed to drive on the new road for at least 1.5 hours after the hot asphalt is laid down. The paving should be complete in time for Columbia Middle School afternoon pickup; however, if the work is delayed due to some unforeseen circumstance, Berkeley Heights Police will be on-scene to direct traffic. Please drive slowly through the area during the paving. Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we upgrade our infrastructure. 

October 24, 2022

Contractor Tilcon today is milling out Roosevelt, then will move to Glenside Road tomorrow (Tuesday) to mill. Crews will then began paving on Orchard, Old Farm, and Mercier, then move to Roosevelt and Glenside to pave, weather permitting. Milling and paving was delayed a few days due to weather; we apologize for the delay. 

Meanwhile, paving on certain road segments is also taking place on Cedar Green Lane and Kingman Road.

October 12, 2022

Road & Minor Drainage Project Updates

Drainage project construction at Middle Way, Countryside and York place are scheduled to begin today. The culverts on Locust Avenue and 23 Evergreen Drive are also being excavated and restored to prevent flooding. Meanwhile, drainage work is going on on Orchard Lane ahead of paving next week. 

The following roads will be paved by contractor Tilcon beginning the week of Monday, Oct. 17, weather permitting: Orchard Lane, Old Farm Road, Mercier Place, Glenside Road, and the remainder of Roosevelt Avenue. The contractor will mill out all of the roads first, then go back and pave. Police will be on site directing traffic as/if needed. 

Please proceed with caution throughout town, as there is road segment replacement work being done in several locations, including those below. Cones around a portion of road likely mean there is  work being done in that spot.

• Locust Ave & Timber Drive
• 75 Lincoln Street
• 81 Garfield Avenue
• 389 Park Avenue
• 32 Chaucer Place
• 3 Cedar Green
• 29 Putnam Avenue 
• Yale Drive

October 6, 2022

Road & Minor Drainage Project Updates

The following roads will be paved by contractor Tilcon beginning Monday, Oct. 17, weather permitting: Orchard Lane, Old Farm Road, Mercier Place, Glenside Road, and the remainder of Roosevelt Avenue. The contractor will mill out all of the roads first, then go back and pave. Police will be on site directing traffic as/if needed. 

Drainage project construction at Middle Way, Countryside and York place are scheduled to begin next Wednesday, Oct. 12. The culverts on Locust Avenue and 23 Evergreen Drive are also being excavated and restored to prevent flooding.

In addition, the following road segmentation replacement work is being done by the Township near these locations:

• Locust Ave & Timber Drive
• 75 Lincoln Street
• 81 Garfield Avenue
• 389 Park Avenue
• 32 Chaucer Place
• 3 Cedar Green
• 29 Putnam Avenue 
• Yale Drive

Large Drainage/Flooding Project Updates

West Side Drainage Project – Engineering firm Neglia is working on preliminary design plans to send to the NJ Department of Environmental Protection/NJ Infrastructure Bank to get the agencies’ initial concept review and comment within a month (by end of October). We will eventually need to provide easements, flood area permits, etc…. but want to get the iBank’s initial feedback on design as we move forward. The Township received $500,000 in federal funding for this project; we are working with the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on our application to utilize the funds. 

Spring Ridge Drainage Study - Neglia Engineering has completed the majority of all the survey and field work for the Spring Ridge Drainage Study authorized by Council. Now they will build the base map and will finalize the field work by checking backyard basins and swales to add to the survey work. Once the base map is completed, a hydraulics analysis can be shared with the Council at a public meeting. This should be completed in December. 

Riverbend/Chaucer Area - We are still awaiting word on whether our FY2023 federal funding requests for this area will be included in final spending requests from our congressmen. We applied for $750,000 total to install new headwalls at the known outfall locations along the Passaic in this neighborhood, incorporating valves to ensure water flows toward the river, not from it toward residents’ homes. The existing outfalls are open, with no backflow protection for the residents or Township roadways, which causes flooding.

Green Brook Flooding – The Township met virtually with the Green Brook Flood Commission in late July 2022; Green Brook flooding occurs predominately in the Free Acres area of Berkeley Heights, but affects several towns and counties. There is $469 million in federal disaster money available for the Green Brook project, including $3.2 million to study the portion of the project that includes Berkeley Heights. Because of the multi-county/multi-town element of this problem, any solution must involve not only the Green Brook Flood Commission but the DEP, DOT and other state and federal agencies. Meanwhile, we are exploring other short-term solutions to help alleviate flooding in this area. 

Sewer Infrastructure

The Township has received work that our requested $350,000 state appropriation in this year's budget is now available. We are engaging in the process with the NJ Department of Community Affairs to finalize the application to utilize the funds. This money will go toward a new gas flare system at the plan. 

September 23, 2022

The following roads will be paved by contractor Tilcon in roughly 3 weeks: Orchard Lane, Old Farm Road, Mercier Place, Glenside Road and the remainder of Roosevelt Avenue. More specific schedule to come as start date gets closer. 

In addition, drainage projects are underway on Middle Way, Winchip and Old Farm Road. 

September 14, 2022

Middle Way is being milled and paved today. The portion of Middle Way not being paved yet (near intersection of Countryside)is the portion at which the Township is installing additional drainage with funds from the Union County Infrastructure Grant. Once that drainage is complete, the contractor will come back and pave that section. Thank you for your patience as we continue to improve our road system. 

September 7, 2022

Old Farm Road, Orchard Lane and Mercier Place have been added to the paving list for Fall 2022. More information to come on possible other roads, as well as schedules for Old Farm, Orchard and Mercier. 

Meanwhile, for all residents whose roads are being paved: You are free to enter/exit your driveways and drive on roads where they are milling and paving, unless otherwise specific by signage or crews on site. Please give yourself a little extra time taking kids to school and/or going to work, in case there is machinery near your driveway. And please go slow on the milled roads, as there are exposed manhole covers and otherwise rough terrain when the roads are in this phase of repair. Please see schedule below for milling and paving dates for those respective streets. 

August 30, 2022

Here is the work schedule for the milling and paving of the batch of roads beginning to be paved Thursday, September 1: 

• Thursday, Sept. 1: Bolton Blvd, Grandview Ave, Scott Ave, Berkeley Ave, Grandview Ave
• Friday, Sept. 2: Grandview Ave, La Grande Ave, Columbia Ave
• Tuesday, Sept. 6: Harwood Ave, Berkeley Ave, Runnymeade Rd
• Wednesday, Sept. 7: Chestnut Hill Drive
• Friday, Sept. 9: Bolton Blvd, Grandview Ave, Scot Ave, Berkeley Ave
• Monday, Sept. 12: La Grande Ave, Columbia Ave, Harwood Ave, Berkeley Ave
• Tuesday, Sept. 13: Runnymeade Rd, Chestnut Hill Dr

The contractor will work with the Berkeley Heights Police Department on the best way to facilitate traffic on these roads while allowing road crews to do their work. Thank you for your patience as we work to improve our road system. 

Meanwhile, FEMA representatives were in town last week, assessing some of the Tropical Storm Ida-damaged roads. We will have an update on that work shortly. 

August 25, 2022

The 2022 coop paving contractor has informed us that the roads to be paved as part of Phase II of the Township's 2022 capital road paving program will now be paved beginning around Thursday, September 1 (see below update from August 16 for specific roads to be paved). Meanwhile, DPW will replacing catch basins on those streets to be paved ahead of the milling. 

August 16, 2022

Around the end of August, the following roads are scheduled to be paved as part of Phase II of the Township's 2022 capital road paving program. Those roads are: Bolton Blvd, Grandview Ave (both sections), Scott Ave, Columbia Ave, Berkeley Ave (both sections), Harwood Ave, and LeGrand Ave. Runnymeade and Chestnut Hill will also be paved during this phase; the Township expects FEMA reimbursement for these two Hurricane Ida-damaged roads. We can give more specific dates toward the end of the month once the contractor provides the Township with firm dates. The contractor will work with the Berkeley Heights Police Department on the best way to facilitate traffic on these roads while allowing road crews to do their work. 

In addition drainage projects are happening on Middle Way and Winchip. 

Thank you. 

August 10, 2022

Paving of the Berkeley Heights Train Station Parking Lot will now begin Monday, August 15, weather permitting. The work will take an estimated two (2) weeks; concrete work first needs to be done, then drainage installed, then milling and paving can begin. During this time, commuters should park in the new parking lot at Town Hall across the train tracks. We apologize for any contractor delays. 

Initially, the contractor scheduled to pave the parking lot was going to pave Glenside Road immediately after. However, PSE&G has engaged in extended gas main line work on Glenside, which they anticipate could continue through the second week of September. The Township is in discussions with PSE&G about ensuring the entirety of the work area on Glenside is paved curb to curb when work is done. In addition, paving will be done on portions where the Township installed additional drainage work last fall. Thank you for your patience as we dealt with New Jersey Transit for the past two years, trying to get the train station lot paved for our residents, and as we try to work with PSE&G to expedite their work on Glenside Road. 

July 26, 2022

Paving of the Berkeley Heights Train Station Parking Lot will begin this week, on or about Thursday, July 28th.  The work will take an estimated two (2) weeks; concrete work first needs to be done, then drainage installed, then milling and paving can begin.  During this time, commuters should park in the new parking lot across the train tracks.

Additionally, once this work is complete, portions of Glenside Roadwill be paved.  Paving will be done on portions where drainage work was complete last fall.

Dates are coming soon for the paving of  Ida-damaged roads Middle Way, Chestnut Hill, Runnymead, Lee Lane and Summit Road. The contractor, Tilcon, may be contacting affected residents directly. Please expect road closures and police presence to ensure traffic safety. Additional road paving information to come as we get more information on contractor availability. 

Eaton Court, Forest Ave, Columbus Ave, Kent Drive, Lenape Lane and Debbie Place were paved last month. Drainage and paving for Kline and Fickler will be later this year. 

Meanwhile, nearby, on Friday, July 29 and Monday, August 1, CR655 New Providence Road in Watchung from Somerset County Bridge to Bonnie Burn Road & CR663 Union Ave from New Providence Road to Somerset County Bridge will be closed for paving. 

June 21, 2022

The paving schedule for the first batch of Township roads to be paved is now out and is as follows:

• Wednesday, June 22 - Work will begin on Eaton Court, Forest Ave, Columbus Ave
• Thursday, June 23 - Work will begin on Lenape Lane and Kent Drive
• Friday, June 24 - Work continues on Kent Drive and begins on Debbie Place
• Tuesday, June 28 - Work is completed on Eaton Ct, Forest Ave, Columbus Ave and Kent Dr
• Wednesday, June 29 - Work is completed on Lenape Ln and Debbie Pl

Soon after that, Ida-damaged roads Middle Way, Chestnut Hill, Runnymead, Lee Lane and Summit Road will be paved. The contractor, Tilcon, may be contacting affected residents directly. Please expect road closures and police presence to ensure traffic safety. 

More information to come. Please see below info from June 14 on additional work being done and funds being sought. 

Read here for more info on how the Township decides which roads to pave each year.

June 14, 2022

The Township's 2022 road paving program will begin around the third week of June. The costs of asphalt (and everything else) unfortunately has skyrocketed. This means we will not be able to pave as many roads as we would have liked to, so we will keep searching for grant money and/or repurposing old capital to pave more roads. 

The first batch of roads to be paved, around June 21, will include: 

• Forest Avenue
• Eaton Court
• Columbus Avenue
• Columbia Avenue 
• Debbie Place

Once capital budget funds become available – around July 7 – we can pave the Ida-damaged roads, which include: Middle Way, Chestnut Hill, Runnymead, Kent Drive, Lenape Lane, Lee Lane, Summit Road.

We need to get another estimate from the paving company on how much it will be to do our next batch of roads, as soon as we get that, we can give the residents the other streets we are trying to pave this year. 

PSE&G is also finishing up their pipeline repairs on Glenside Ave, then paving can start; a drainage system was added to this road late last year. We are awaiting word on whether we will receive federal funds to help pave Old Farm Road, Orchard Road and Mercier Place, as well. 

In addition, the following roads are being paved and/or drainage work is being done, in part, with grant money from Union County, the State of New Jersey or federal government:

• Kline Place & Fickler Place - work includes milling and roadway sub-base reconstruction, installation of new curb and other related improvements along Kline Place from the Township of Berkeley Heights and Borough of New Providence border line to Baker Avenue and Fickler Place from Kline Place to Fairview Avenue. Improvements will consist of the installation of new drainage structures (bicycle safe grates and Type N inlet head to comply with NJ Stormwater regulations) along with other measures to help resolve the ongoing drainage issues at the project location. Currently, no drainage structures are located on Kline Place or Fickler Avenue, however, the proposed drainage improvements can be tied into the drainage system located on the intersection of Fairview Avenue and Fickler Place. Work will include the restoration of property areas within the Right of Way. 
• Final paving of Glenside Road - tentatively scheduled to begin around the third week of June; PSE&G should be completed with their utility upgrade work this week. 
• Train Station Parking Lot - scheduled to begin by the end of June; NJ Transit finally gave the Township the green light to move ahead with the work
• Various drainage improvements on Lenape, Kent, Martin's Lane, Countryside Drive, Winchip Road, Riverbend Road, York Place and Orion (grant not yet awarded; grant amount will determine how much work can be done)
• West Side Drainage Project - the Township received a $500,000 federal appropriation from Congress to continue work on this project

The Township has applied for federal funding for the following road and drainage projects; we are still awaiting word as to whether we will receive any funds applied for:

• NJ DOT Local Transportation Projects Fund - $1.5 million for drainage, curbing and repaving of certain sections of Orchard Lane, Mercier Place and Old Fam Road, and reconstruction of the lower portion of Deerpath Lane. 
• NJ DOT Local Aid Infrastructure Fund - more than $2 million for drainage, curbing and repaving of certain sections of Orchard Lane, Mercier Place and Old Fam Road, and reconstruction of the lower portion of Deerpath Lane. 
• Federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant Program - $25 million for the West Side Drainage Project
• Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) Request through Senator Cory Booker's office - $250,000 to install new headwalls at various outfall locations along the Passaic River behind Riverbend Road and Chaucer Drive to help reduce flooding in that area.
• Community Funding Project request through Congressman Tom Malinowski's office -  $500,000 to install new headwalls at various outfall locations along the Passaic River behind Riverbend Road and Chaucer Drive to help reduce flooding in that area.

May 9, 2022

• Glenside Road is tentatively scheduled to begin final paving the first weeks in June. The Township must wait until the gas utility PSE&G completed their upgrades before final paving can begin. Thank you for your patience. 
• The contractor for Fairfax, Tudor and Windsor will be returning the week of May 10 to begin - and finish - striping the road, then that project should be completely finished. 
• The coop contractor is touring the town with our Township engineer next week to give us an estimate on roads to pave this year; based on that estimate and Council-approved budget funds for 2022, we will then make a determination on what roads can be paved this year. Click here for a full explanation of how we determine which roads to pave each year. 
• Train station parking lot - after more than a year of waiting for NJ Transit to give us approvals to pave this lot, we are nearing the finish line! We hope to hear soon of final approvals that will give us the green light to pave. The contract has been waiting for a start date from us, which we cannot give until we get full approval from NJ Transit. 

May 1, 2022

Carroccia Contractors will start Full Depth Road Reconstruction on Tudor Lane & Windsor Way Monday, May 2, weather permitting. Construction will include removal of asphalt & repaving of Tudor Lane, & Windsor Way. You may notice white, yellow, blue, green and/or red spray paint markings in the road and sidewalk areas. These marks are to help locate underground utilities in the area. 

If you have a sprinkler system and /or an invisible dog fence near the curb and sidewalk area, please locate them (stake with a flag, spray paint or any identifying marker) for the contractor. 

Construction work hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. For the duration of the project, there will be some inconveniences throughout the work zone. However, every effort will be made to assure that they are kept to a minimum. As with all construction projects, please proceed with caution while traveling through the work zone. 

During construction, portions of on-street parking will be prohibited while this work is in progress. Also, traffic will be detoured during the milling and paving days. Please follow the detour signs.
Your cooperation and patience is greatly appreciated and we apologize for any minor disruptions brought on by this work. If you should have any questions pertaining to the work, please contact: Carroccia Contractors at 732-968-1010. 

April 7, 2022

Fairfax, Windsor & Tudor

Carroccia Contractors is scheduled to complete the drainage, milling and paving work begun last fall on Tudor Lane, Windsor Way and Fairfax Drive around April 11. Construction will include cleaning of removal of asphalt & repaving of Fairfax Dr, Tudor Ln, & Windsor Way.

You may notice white, yellow, blue, green and/or red spray paint markings in the road and sidewalk areas. These marks are to help locate underground utilities in the area. If you have a sprinkler system and /or an invisible dog fence near the curb and sidewalk area, please locate them (stake with a flag, spray paint or any identifying marker) for the contractor. Construction work hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

For the duration of the project, there will be some inconveniences throughout the work zone. However, every effort will be made to assure that they are kept to a minimum. As with all construction projects, please proceed with caution while traveling through the work zone. During construction, portions of on-street parking will be prohibited while this work is in progress. Also, traffic will be detoured during the milling and paving days. Please follow the detour signs. Your cooperation and patience is greatly appreciated and we apologize for any minor disruptions brought on by this work. 

If you should have any questions pertaining to the work, please contact: Carroccia Contractors at 732-968-1010.

Glenside Road - Underdrain work was completed last fall; the work settled over the winter. The contract will provide us a date to come out and mill and pave the road once asphalt operations open for the spring. 

Kline, Kline & Fickler - The Township is sending our design plans to the state Department of Transportation (DOT) for review and approval; then we can go out to bid for a company to do the job. We will provide a timeframe once we have one. 

Train Station Parking Lot - We are awaiting a start date from the contractor once asphalt operations open. 

Tropical Storm Ida-damaged Roads - Several roads are scheduled for repair due to damages suffered to them during Tropical Storm Ida; a capital ordinance will be introduced at the April 19 Township Council meeting authorizing the Township to bond for the money needed to repair the roads. FEMA will at some point reimburse the Township at a rate of 90% (FEMA) to 10% (the Township's portion). Those roads include: 

• Kent Drive
• Lenape Lane
• Orchard Lane
• Old Farm Road
• Middle Way
• Chestnut Hill Drive
• Runnymeade Road

Additional Road for 2022: We are currently assessing our 2022 road plan. More details will be coming out soon as to what roads will be paved this year, with a combination of Township capital, grant money and other funding as we can obtain it. 

Anatomy of a Road Paving Plan:

We have received questions from residents on how the Township decides which roads to pave each year, so we thought it would be appropriate to put the information here, so all road project information is in one place for you!

• A few years ago, the Township did a long-term road paving plan, which laid out which roads would be paved which years.
• We take that list and every year before the budget is introduced (after winter, when roads are at their worst from snow, salt and plowing), do a drive through around Town to assess each road to determine a few things:
  • Which roads on the schedule for that year actually need it; if any one road does not, it won't get paved that year because that's not a good use of taxpayer funds - to pave a road that doesn't need it when so many other roads are in desperate need.
  • Which roads, NOT on that schedule, are in the most need of paving or more drastic reconstruction and need to be moved up on the list.
  • Based on the above process, our we come up with a list of roads we want to pave each year with the known funds we will have; then a "B" list of roads we will pave if we can find/win/earn extra funds 
• We commit at least $750,000 a year to road paving; that does not include any grant money that we may apply for and receive, or any other form of outside funding; based on the survey described above, we determine a list to give to Council each year ahead of budget season. We tentatively include grant money we think we may received each year in our internal calculations as we try to budget for that year's paving project, yet we cannot realize that money in our budget in any given year until that money is actually awarded. 
• The coast of paving roads varies from month to month, year to year. Municipalities have to "go out to bid" for projects over a certain amount of money - which means they have to put the project specs out on the open market and have companies "bid" on doing the job; we are obligated to use the lowest bidder. 
• If any bids come in lower than anticipated, we may be able to pave another road with the extra money budgeted. It's always a happy day when that happens!
• As soon as our paving plan is firmed up and funded, we put it on the Township website and update it accordingly so residents have an idea of what roads will be paved, when.