Monday, June 17, 2013
Morris County Board of Freeholders to hold session in July at Washington Township Municipal Building.
As part of its traveling show to interact with individual municipalities and residents in Morris County, the Board of Chosen Freeholders will set up shop for a regular meeting at the Washington Township Municipal Building on July 24 at 7 p.m. The Washington Township Committee discussed the meeting and possible agenda at its work session on Wednesday night, questioning appropriate topics to bring to the Freeholders for consideration. A general consensus among the five committeemen was the constant state of flux around Schooley’s Mountain Road, it’s need for repairs, and the amount of traffic that travels on the county roadway on a daily basis. Mayor Ken Short said the Newburgh Road bridge replacement project, which spans the Musconetcong …
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Township Committee and Department of Public Works putting together list of roads to receive 'oil and chip' repairs over next three years.
In order to save money and keep Washington Township roads from continuously deteriorating, the township committee is considering the appropriation of hundreds of thousands of dollars for an oil and chip program in the coming years. With the recommendation of Department of Public Works superintendent Scott Frech, the governing body discussed – and will likely approve – the use of capital budget funds to repair roads with a single layer of tar and chip, rather than a full milling and repaving program. The original proposal by Mayor Ken Short was to consider allocating $100,000 for the program in 2013. At approximately $18,000 for one layer of oil and chip repairs stretching a mile, the committee agreed it was the right move to make. But one …
Monday, May 27, 2013
Township focuses on three roads to repave.
The days of swerving around potholes and cracks in the roads will be in the rear view mirror soon, as plans to repair and repave three Washington Township streets have been funded for 2013. Thanks to a grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation in the amount of $180,000, the township now has a total of $478,000 to use toward three different road projects in the coming months. Roads to be repaired include a 900-foot portion of Wehrli Road; 1,852-feet of East Springtown Road; and 3,350-feet of Old Farmers Road between East Valley Brook and Parker Roads. A public hearing for the ordinance that will appropriate the funds is set for June 17, according to acting administrator Andrew Coppola. Once the ordinance is approved, the jobs …
Monday, April 15, 2013
Readers say bend on Middle Valley Road and Flocktown and Naughright intersection are worst driving areas in Washington Township.
Woodpecker’s Point and the intersection of Flocktown and Naughright roads are the most dangerous for motorists in Washington Township, according to Long Valley Patch readers. Since Monday, April 8, readers have been able to vote on six different choices for most dangerous road or portion of road in town, as well as seven different options for most dangerous intersection. Taking 36-percent of the 58 votes cast by readers, Woodpecker’s Point on Middle Valley Road was deemed the most dangerous portion of roadway in Washington Township. The intersection of Flocktown and Naughright, which includes a stop sign on each of the Flocktown sides, took 37-percent of the 16 votes cast to be named most dangerous intersection. “Big Turn” on Schooley’s …
Thursday, April 11, 2013
You gave us your nominations, now it's time to vote for the scariest spots in Washington Township.
A couple weeks ago Long Valley Patch asked readers where they thought the most dangerous place for a motorist was in Washington Township. More than 50 comments later, it was clear drivers had plenty of opinions on the topic. So we've decided to put it to a vote. We took the areas with the most nominations and created polls for you, the reader and driver, to decide. Since nominations seemed to be broken down into intersections and portions of roadways, we've created two polls–one representing each of the aforementioned driving areas. You can vote in each poll, but only once, so make it count. Voting will end at noon on Friday, April 12, and we'll announce the winner of most dangerous intersection and roadway in Washington Township. Thanks …
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Adjoining sidewalk still not completed, but road passable.
Not since September 2012 has a vehicle driven over the Middle Valley Road Bridge. That changed on April 2, 2013 when barriers were removed and local police formally announced the bridge project was complete and the roadway was passable. Morris County Engineers originally scheduled a time table for completion of the project to be anywhere between six and eight months. Seven months spanned between the road's closure and its reopening for the bridge's replacement. In between was a super storm, frigid temperatures and just enough snow to keep pushing the work back farther and farther. Motorists driving on Rt. 513 (East Mill Road) were required to detour up Schooley's Mountain Road to get to the north and northwestern points of Middle Valley …
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Tell us which street or thoroughfare you think causes the most problems in Washington Township.
Washington Township is fortunate to have hills, mountains, valleys and winding country roads. With that, however, comes potentially dangerous roads that rise, fall, bend and loop, causing even the most experienced driver to take caution. A recent report named Rt. 46, which runs through the northern section of Washington Township, Morris County's most dangerous road. So, as Long Valley Patch continues to ask its weekly question, ranging from a town name change to how many school districts should be available, we want to know which road in town you find morst dangerous. Is it a back road somewhere that's less traveled? Is it one of the main arteries in town you stay away from? Let us know in the comments!
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
County projects late March, early April finish date after concrete poured Tuesday.
The concrete is poured and a time-table has been established for the completion of the Middle Valley Road Bridge. Members of Konkus Corporation spread the mixture over the deck of the bridge Tuesday morning and smoothed it out as the afternoon wore on. From here, it will take about two weeks to dry and set before anyone can drive over it, Morris County Engineer Stephen Hammond said. In that time, the approach portions of the roadway will be constructed and paved, leading to both sides of the bridge, Hammond said, weather-pending. Guide rails will also be installed along the sides of the approaches on each end, Hammond said, and the county is hoping for a completion time of late March or early April. In a May 2012 presentation to the …
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Engineer says at least another month—if weather is perfect.
If weather conditions are perfect, the Middle Valley Road Bridge could be complete in a month, according to an engineering consultant working on the project. But perfect conditions have been hard to come by since the project began in September, as Hurricane Sandy and several snowfalls of measurable accumulation hit Washington Township in the fall and winter. Paul Weber of Cherry & Weber Engineering said one major aspect of the bridge's construction remains, which is the pouring of cement that will overlay the steel structure. "With these cold temperatures it's been hard to pour and work with concrete," Weber said. "That part of the project will take about two weeks to dry and finish. Then we'll overlay it with pavement." In a May 2012 …
Monday, October 29, 2012
Hurricane Sandy damage continues to accumulate.
Portions of roads continue to be blocked or closed by down trees and power lines in Washington Township, has Hurricane Sandy continues to twist through northern New Jersey. As of 5 p.m. Monday, there were seven reported blockages in the township, according to the Washington Township Office of Emergency Management. Click on the link above titled "Washington Township Road Closures" to see the interactive map in full screen. For more Hurricane Sandy coverage, go here.
Carolyn Hanington
10:55 pm on Monday, June 17, 2013
I have had to personally convince an 18-wheeler driver that he can't take his truck up the mountain while his GPS was telling him that was the route to take. They are only doing what the instructions are telling them. We NEED signage!! They don't see it until they are up on it and then it's too late! And not for nothing but Newburgh Road bridge again! ARGH! more ›