Authorities work on fixing local roads

ANDOVER TOWNSHIP — Andover continues to make headway towards a long term goal of repairing as many roads as possible. Over the past nine years, the township has received state financial aid via grants which have gone towards the refurbishment of Skytop Road, Perona Road and more recently, Goodale Road.

Mayor Tom Walsh, acting as a liaison to the Department of Public Works (DPW) along with its Supervisor Darren Dickenson and township engineer Joe Golden, study the roads before deciding which ones are in need of urgent repair. Then the grant application process begins.

Around June, Andover Township received an $185,000 grant for Stickles Pond Road. The township has 18 months to spend the grant money. Walsh is projecting the work to start next spring and is coordinating with utility company PS&G who owns Newton Airport on Stickles Pond Road.

At Monday’s township committee meeting, a resolution was passed to submit a new grant application and grant contract with the State of New Jersey Department of Transportation for Mulford Road reconstruction.

“Most of these roads are heavily traveled and need better drainage and black topping. We have to prove that we need it in the grant process. We have been very fortunate to get the money and will find out in the spring about Mulford Road,” said Walsh. “Joe and Darren keep up on it, because it’s better to fix the roads now than later.”

A discretionary fund for repair of Pinckneyville Road will be next on the town’s agenda.