PROJECT
UPDATES:
The
e-newsletters over the past several months have chronicled the progress of many
of the City’s capital improvements. Now that the summer season is here, we try
to limit the amount of construction taking place on public property, in order to
minimize the disruption to our residents and visitors, as for many, this time of
the year is precious. While we still have construction projects ongoing, and
will continue to provide updates, we also are in the process of preparing and
putting into place plans for the next round of capital improvements throughout
the City. As part of this process, funding ordinances for several projects were
introduced by City Council at the June 26th Council meeting. A summary of the
projects is included in the Council message below. At the July 24th Council
meeting, a second reading and public hearing will be held on these ordinances
prior to council voting for adoption. This is the process that provides the
required funding for capital projects. As these projects move forward through
the design, bidding, and construction phases, we will continue to provide you
with updates on their progress.
Phase 2 of Excursion Park, Beach
to Bay Corridor (NO CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS UPDATE) – This project
involved streetscape improvements to the public corridor along JFK Boulevard
from the Promenade to Landis Avenue, and widening of the sidewalks along each
side of this corridor by 3 feet. The contractor, Fred M. Schiavone
Construction, has substantially completed the project. New energy efficient,
decorative street lighting and bollard lighting has been installed, and old
utility poles were removed or replaced. Paver sidewalks were installed, and
hanging flower baskets were placed on the light fixtures prior to the Memorial
Day Weekend. In addition, an electronic informational kiosk was installed at
the street end. This project completes the beach end improvements of the City’s
“Beach to Bay Corridor” project, a comprehensive capital improvement connecting
the beachfront to the public marina. The next major project on the corridor is
the reconstruction of JFK Boulevard from Landis Avenue to the bridge (details
below).
Demolition of Former Library/Beach Tag Facility and
Conversion to Parking Lot – The parking lot was paved and lined prior
to the Memorial Day weekend; and public parking is now available on the lot.
The parking lot lighting has been installed; and we are waiting on completion of
electrical work to power the irrigation system in order to complete landscaping
on the project.
Construction of Welcome Center Addition to the
Community Lodge and Renovations of the Existing Lodge Facility and Site
– The contractor, R. Wilkinson and Sons, has completed the main lower
roof on the Lodge and Welcome Center addition, with installation of the metal
roof of the main entry pending delivery of materials. Interior wall
construction has taken place over the past two weeks, with interior finish work
to be performed over the next two weeks. Siding has been substantially
completed on the building, with exterior finish work and signage to be installed
over the next two weeks. The opening of the Welcome Center is anticipated to
take place in the second half of July. The Community Lodge will remain open and
all activities will continue as planned. The City will continue to use all of
its efforts to minimize the inconvenience caused by the ongoing work. The
project is the culmination of several years of public discussion about the need
for a Welcome Center, as well as the need for continued utilization of the
current lodge facility. Please see photos below of the new Welcome Center and
Community Lodge, taken on June 27…
Improvements to T.I. Park (NO
CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS UPDATE) – The project has been substantially completed and
the park has been reopened to the public. The project includes installation of
new decking on the ramps, stairs, and pavilion area; repainting of the pavilion;
and installation of new aluminum railings, providing for compliance with the
Americans with Disabilities Act.
Lagoon Dredging - The
current status of the project is as follows:
*The contractor, Wickberg
Marine Contracting of Belford, NJ, has completed dredging the western end of Rio
Grande Lagoon and a portion of Rio Del Isole (along Venicean Road), as well as
work around the Yacht Club of Sea Isle City.
*Dredging work has ceased
for the summer season, and will re-commence after Labor Day, when the remainder
of the lagoons will be dredged.
The lagoons to be 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)
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 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 permit 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 not expected to be obtained until late summer or
early fall, which will still 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 (NO CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS UPDATE)
– The project has been contracted to the firm of Lewandowski Construction
Industries, Inc., of Waterford, NJ. The project is being performed in two
phases: the first being from 49th to 63rd Street, and the second phase from 63rd
to 69th Street. The contractor has ceased construction operations for the
summer season, and will start back up after Labor Day. Utility work was
completed from 63rd Street to 55th Street, and the road surface was temporarily
restored to allow for vehicular travel with no detours or obstructions over the
summer. The remainder of phase one (to 49th Street), along with phase two (from
63rd to 69th Street), will be completed in the fall; after which the entire
roadway will be resurfaced. 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.
Utility
Reconstruction on Landis Avenue (54th to 69th Street) – 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. To date, the contractor has installed
hydrant services, water main extensions out of several intersections, and new
water services to adjacent properties. The contractor has completed temporary
restoration of excavated road surfaces and ceased operations for the remainder
of the summer; with work to resume in the fall. The County is scheduled to
resurface Landis Avenue from 54th to 69th Street in the spring 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 major re-lining and
repairs, but must complete some corrective work to internal repairs to finalize
their contractual obligations. Some of this work may require excavation of the
road surface, and if so, will not take place until the fall. 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 are being 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 (NO CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS UPDATE) – 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. At the
April 10th City Council meeting, Council authorized award of a construction
contract for the project to Garden State General Construction, Inc., of Rio
Grande, NJ, in the amount of $607,653.92. The construction work to perform the
utility replacement will take place in the fall. Following utility work, the
streets will receive new surface paving. The following streets are included in
this project:
1. 50th Street, Landis Avenue to
Promenade
2. 51st Street, Landis Avenue to
Promenade
3. 60th Street, Landis Avenue to
Central Avenue
4. 43rd Place street end with guide rail
barrier
5. 42nd Street, Landis Avenue to Promenade
6. 79th Street, Landis Avenue to Central Avenue
7. 60th
Street, Landis Avenue to Beach End
JFK
Boulevard Reconstruction, from Bridge to Landis Avenue (NO CHANGE FROM
PREVIOUS UPDATE) - The County has been working with the City for design of the
project to reconstruct and reconfigure JFK Boulevard from the bridge to Landis
Avenue. The project limits also include reconstruction of Landis Avenue from
JFK Boulevard to 40th Street. The project scope will include the addition of
widened sidewalks, decorative lighting, streetscape improvements and
landscaping, drainage improvements, and elevation of the road surface which will
assist during times of flooding. The County Engineer and the design engineering
firm of Urban Engineers (which is under contract to the County), along with the
City Engineer, made a presentation on the JFK Boulevard project on March 7, 2012
in council chambers, at which those in attendance were informed of the project
details and the proposed timing of the project. The meeting was attended by
approximately 30 members of the public and the media, with the opportunity for
questions and concerns to be raised. The engineers addressed issues relative to
drainage, traffic, the proposed elevation of the road surface, changes to the
road configuration, and the new streetscape. The project involves federal
funding, and the next step is for the County to obtain authorization from
federal and state agencies to proceed to bidding. The county expects to receive
this authorization by July and put the project out to bid by the end of August
in order to award a contract for a fall 2012 construction start. In this event,
construction will take place between October 2012 and May
2013.
Turtle Sculptures - The City previously authorized
the acquisition of two signature turtle sculptures, one for placement at the JFK
and Pleasure Avenue corner of Excursion Park and the other at the north end
entrance of Sea Isle. The sculptures were delivered to the City and installed
at their respective locations on June 15th. Please see photos below of the new
north end statue and of the dedication ceremony for the new statue at Excursion
Park, which took place prior to the 2012 Sara the Turtle Festival on June 21.
Shown during the dedication ceremony are (from left) City Council President John
Divney, Dr. Irene Jameson, Mayor Leonard Desiderio, and City Councilmen Mike
McHale and Bill Kehner. Also shown is “Mackie the Stilt Walker,” an entertainer
at the Sara the Turtle Festival…
NEW STOP SIGNS ON CENTRAL
AVENUE:
Please be aware that there are two new FOUR WAY STOP
SIGNS now in place on Central Avenue at 59th and 63rd Streets (at Dealy Field).
The new stop signs were installed to increase pedestrian safety near the Dealy
Field Recreation Complex. Please see photos below of Central Avenue at 59th and
63rd Streets...
CHECK THIS
OUT:
The next time you visit Excursion Park, walk to the
center of the decorative brick compass at the base of the park and stand in the
very middle. Then, speak out loud. The brick walls surrounding the compass
have created an echo chamber, which is very easy to hear. Check it out…kids of
all ages will get a kick out of this!
Brought to you by Jim Sofroney, General Manager/ Owner The Landis Co., Realtors, 6000 Landis Avenue, Sea Isle City, NJ 08243 609-263-3400, jws@LandisCo.com , www.LandisCo.com .
