Sea Isle City Town News March 2013

SEA ISLE CITY PROJECT UPDATES

Lagoon Dredging – NO CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS UPDATE – The contractor, Wickberg Marine Contracting, of Belford, NJ, has completed dredging Rio Grande Lagoon, Rio Delle Isole, Rio Del Amore, and Rio Delle Luna.  The contractor is currently working at Rio Delle Stelle.

All lagoons being dredged are as follows:
Rio Grande (south side of 47th Place)
Rio Delle Stelle (between 46th and 47th Place)
Rio Delle Luna (between 45th and 46th Place) Completed 
Rio Del Amore (between 44th Street and 45th Place)
Rio Delle Isole (along Venicean Road)
Rio Del Barche (between 43rd Place and 44th Street)
Rio Del Affare (between 42nd and 43rd Place)
Rio Delle Ponte (along Park Road on either side of 43rd Place)

The dredging project provides for the ability of private property owners adjacent to the project area to enter into an agreement with the dredging contractor to dredge their private slips (at the private owner’s expense).  In conjunction with the City project, properties at the above locations do have the required permits to perform private slip dredging.

As part of this project, consistent with the commitment to afford the opportunity to private property owners to have their slips dredged (at their own expense), the City continues to work with the Army Corps of Engineers and the NJ Department of Environmental Protection to obtain permits for previously identified areas of need, including the western side of Venicean Road (along the Intracoastal waterway) and along Sounds Avenue (in the area of 38th Street).  Permits for these areas are expected to be obtained in the near future, in order to allow time for these property owners to come to agreement with the dredging contractor to have their slips dredged prior to completion of the overall project.

Sewer and Road Reconstruction on Central Avenue (49th to 69th Street) - The project has been contracted to the firm of Lewandowski Construction Industries, Inc., of Waterford, NJ.  Temporary paving on all ditches was completed on February 15 for the long holiday weekend.  As of February 19, the contractor has started using two crews, Crew A will be installing mainline from 53rd to 55th Streets while Crew B is installing laterals from 59th to 63rd Street.  The sewer portion of the project is expected to be completed this winter; after which the entire roadway will be resurfaced (we expect to perform base paving in the spring with final surface course paving in the fall, following the 2013 summer season).  South Jersey Gas Company has been notified regarding a relocation of lines on 65th and 66th Street due to a conflict in that area.  The project will provide for an upgraded sewer system and new road surface for the entire one mile stretch of roadway.  This section of sewer has been problematic for years, with continuous maintenance issues; and this project will not only provide for appropriate sewage infrastructure, it will assist in decreasing the amount of ground water sent to the county sewage treatment plant, thus saving in unnecessary costs associated with the treatment of “infiltration” water.  Please see photos below of Central Avenue near 55th Street, taken February 21... 

Utility Reconstruction on Landis Avenue (54th to 69th Street) – NO CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS UPDATE - The project has been contracted to F.W. Shawl & Sons of Marmora, NJ, and will provide for water and sewer line replacement in advance of the County project to resurface Landis Avenue from 54th to 69th Street. The contractor has completed the utility main replacements on Landis Avenue including laterals and is in the closeout stage with punch list items being completed.  The County is scheduled to resurface Landis Avenue from 54th to 63rd Street in the spring of 2013.  63rd to 69th Street is now planned to be resurfaced following the summer of 2013. 

Inflow and Infiltration (I & I) Remediation – NO CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS UPDATE - The firm of Video Pipe Services, Inc. of Newfield, NJ, has substantially completed the project, and is in the process of working with the City Engineer to close-out the project.  The need for this project was identified over the past several years through a comprehensive investigation and analysis of the City’s sewer system.  Sewer systems are prone to both inflow (overland water entering the sewer system through manhole covers and other surface openings in the system) and infiltration (entry of groundwater into pipelines through cracks, deteriorated pipe, and pipe joints).  The effects of I & I are symptoms of deterioration of the sewer system that must be corrected to avoid more problematic maintenance issues and potential failure of the sewer system.  I & I is also costly, in that the City must pay for the unnecessary treatment of water that enters the sanitary sewer system.  This is the first phase of a multi-year citywide sewer maintenance and improvement project that will ensure the continued viability of the City’s vital sewer infrastructure.  The next phase of I & I work will involve replacement of sewer lines that cannot be substantially corrected through internal, “no-dig” repairs, as were performed in this phase.  As those projects are engineered and prepared for bidding and construction, we will provide updates on the specific details of the projects. 

Utility Reconstruction, Various Streets - The project includes replacement of deteriorated underground utilities (water and sewer) in several streets, as part of the City’s comprehensive road and utility program.  The project is being performed by Garden State General Construction, Inc., of Rio Grande, NJ.  Following utility work, the streets will receive new surface paving.  The following streets are included in this project:

1.    42nd Street, Landis Avenue to Promenade
2.    48th Street, Landis Avenue to Promenade
3.    50th Street, Landis Avenue to Promenade                     
4.    51st Street, Landis Avenue to Promenade                   
5.    60th Street, Landis Avenue to Central Avenue
6.    43rd Place      
7.    79th Street, Landis Avenue to Central Avenue   
8.    60th Street, Landis Avenue to Beach End

With work substantially completed on 42nd, 48th, 50th, 51st and 60th Streets, the contractor will be starting water services on 43rd Place. A second crew will begin work on 79th Street.

JFK Boulevard Reconstruction, from the Bridge to Landis Avenue – The County received bids for the project on December 12, 2012.  The apparent low bidder was Asphalt Paving Systems, Inc., of Hammonton, NJ in the amount of $3,773,000.00.  A preconstruction meeting for the project took place on January 9, at which time details for the project were reviewed, along with the proposed construction schedule.  Construction is currently in full swing, with concrete and utility work taking place along the length of the boulevard.

The following are some of the important details regarding the project:

1.    The north side of JFK Boulevard is closed, with two-way traffic diverted to the south side of the boulevard from the foot of the Bridge to Landis Avenue.
2. The contractor has paved 2 lanes on the south-side of JFK Boulevard and has also started to work on drainage and milling, 40th Street to JFK Boulevard on Landis Avenue, while continuing his work on the north-side of JFK Boulevard.
3.    The majority of the work will be completed prior to the 2013 Memorial Day weekend, and there will be two lanes along each side of the boulevard open for Memorial Day weekend and no access restrictions for that weekend.
4.    The project is scheduled for substantial completion by mid-June, 2013.
5.    Final completion of the project, including all punch list items, is scheduled for fall 2013; with no work to take place during the summer season.6.    The project construction is being completely funded by the federal government.

Please see photos of JFK Boulevard below, taken on February 21...

View from Landis Avenue, looking west...

Former Public Safety Building at far right, looking west...

Looking east toward intersection of JFK and Central Avenue...

Post Office shown at far right, looking west on JFK...

Looking east toward Landis Avenue...

Photo taken from Welcome Center Steps (foot of Sea Isle Bridge at left)...

Looking north on Landis Avenue from JFK...

Sign on Sea Isle Causeway...

 Water Well and Well House Construction at 50th Street –  The contract is being performed by B & H Contracting, Inc., of Folsom, NJ, in the amount of $1,363,000.  The drilling and setting of the well has been complete. Water quality sampling for tests have been taken.  Demobilization of the drilling rig, storage trailer, and frac tank has been completed.  The old well has been sealed.  The temporary well pump is being removed.  Work to install the detention tank will begin soon.  Ultimately, the project will provide for the capability to deliver approximately one million gallons of water each day to City residents, and will help to ensure the viability of our critical water infrastructure now and into the future.  The project is expected to be completed prior to the summer 2013 season. 

Please see photos below, taken February 21... 

Mill / Pave Overlay of Various Streets – NO CHANGE FROM LAST UPDATE – The project has been awarded to the firm of South State, Inc., of Bridgeton, NJ, in the amount of $317,185.66. 

The following streets are included in the project:
30th St. (Landis to Bay End)
34th St. (Landis to Central)
38th St. (Landis to Central)
39th St. (Landis to Central)
40th St. (Central to Cini)
40th St. (Cini to Kneass)
Cini St. (39th to 40th)
47th St. (Central to Park)
Roberts Ave. (77th to 79th)
86th St. Landis to Pleasure
Roberts Ave. 56th Street to 54th.

Concrete ADA improvements and asphalt paving are nearly completed.  One additional portion of Roberts Avenue will be paved in the near future.  Line striping will be done when the weather allows.


FEMA FLOOD ELEVATION UPDATE: 

Today Mayor Desiderio along with Administration staff attended a meeting in Atlantic City with representatives from Congressman LoBiondo’s office, Officials from Cape May and Atlantic Counties and senior representatives from URS Corporation, the firm hired by FEMA to complete the new FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM), to discuss what information our individual towns will need to provide to FEMA in order to assure the most accurate and complete maps possible of Sea Isle City. Over the next few weeks, we will be working to provide them with all information they may require. As we have stated before, there is a lot of information – and misinformation – circulating around town concerning upcoming changes to the FIRM maps.  Sea Isle City’s Administration and City Council are continuing to work in close consultation with State and Federal agencies to clarify and bring the most up to date information available to our property owners and residents as it becomes available.  City officials will continue to bring you the latest and most accurate information regarding this very important subject as it becomes available.

An updated list of “Frequently Asked Questions” can be found at http://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/codes/. For additional information and copies of the new advisory base flood elevation (ABFE) maps, please visit www.region2coastal.com/sandy.