Berkeley Township Council Demands NJDOT Pave Route 9

BERKELEY, NJ — For Bayville residents who drive on Route 9 every day, the bumpy ride has become more than just an inconvenience.

During a council meeting Monday night, Mayor Carmen Amato said residents have reported having damage to their cars’ suspensions, tires and rims after driving along the road that was slated to be repaved by the New Jersey Department of Transportation this past summer.

The entire $9.1 million project includes lighting, construction of ADA compliant curbs, ramps and sidewalks, and milling and paving on approximately eight miles of Route 9 between Jones Road in Lacey and Longboat Avenue in Beachwood.

In response to ongoing delays with the project, Berkeley Township Council introduced a resolution demanding the NJDOT direct its contractors to pave its Route 9 corridor immediately.

“The Bayville residents of Berkeley Township have long suffered the lack of repaving Route 9,” Amato said. “Here we are — end of September and Route 9 is worse off today than it was late last year.”

Amato said the paving was supposed to begin this past spring, but its start was delayed due to a project by New Jersey Natural Gas within the area, adding that additional project delays have pushed the timeline back even further.

In late June, officials were told that the NJDOT would be sending their contractor to work on Route 9 around the second week of July.

“The township has waited years for the New Jersey Department of Transportation to repave Route 9 within the township, as Route 9 is in a complete state of disrepair in certain areas,” Amato said as he read the resolution. “Whereas the Route 9 corridor is unsafe and creates a dangerous condition, causing major vehicle damage to suspension systems, tires and rims.”

He continued, “And whereas now school is back in session, busses are now being subjected to these conditions, resulting in more wear and tear on these vehicles, the expenses for which will ultimately be borne by the taxpayers. And whereas the township and its residents have waited years for the repaving of Route 9 and demands NJDOT direct its contractor to commence paving the Route 9 corridor within Berkeley Township within 30 days to prevent any more inconveniences to the motoring public."

The New Jersey Department of Transportation did not return Patch’s request for comment as of Wednesday afternoon.

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