Mahwah March 11, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 3 NJDOT plans bridge rehabilitation in township by Frank J. McMahon Mahwah Mayor Richard Martel has announced that the New Jersey Department of Transportation has informed the township that the receipt of some of the federal stimulus package money will be used to rehabilitate the West Ramapo Avenue bridge over Route 17. The bridge will be completely closed during the rehabilitation project, which is scheduled for summer. The work will local impact traffic patterns. The bridge is located at the end of Ridge Road and is a main access to the four township schools in that area. It is also a route to Ramapo Valley Road (Route 202) where two houses of worship and Ramapo College are located. The detours have not yet been established, but it is expected that the Macarthur Boulevard overpass and the Route 202 underpass on Route 17 will be the logical alternate routes to get past Route 17 when heading west through the township. Martel said he and Mahwah Township Administrator Brian Campion met recently with the NJDOT officials, the local police and fire departments, and the board of education, and it was agreed that the project would begin after the high school graduation on June 19 to ensure the construction is done while the schools are closed this summer. The mayor estimated that the project, which is valued at approximately $1 million, could take eight to 10 weeks. Any requirement for the local police to coordinate traffic during the time the bridge is being rehabilitated will be paid for by the NJDOT, Martel advised. “So it’s good for Mahwah because it will the rehabilitate of one of our bridges which is in dire need of repair,” Martel reported. Campion advised that the NJDOT is anxious to get started on this project with the delivery of the first stimulus package money, but one of the key concerns of the township was that the project be carried out while the schools are closed. According to Campion, once the bridge is closed, the NJDOT will remove the entire surface of the bridge. Campion explained that the bridge rehabilitation is one of the first NJDOT projects being undertaken since the stimulus package money was approved. The bridge was chosen because it is a “shovel ready” project the NJDOT had planned to undertake when funds were allocated because it does not require any permitting or right-of-way acquisitions. “The stimulus package money made it a reality,” Campion said. The NJDOT decided to expedite the project, and an outside consulting firm was brought in to examine the traffic patterns and establish alternate travel routes. According to Campion, more than 50 percent of the bridge is “patched,” so the entire roadway of the bridge will be removed down to the metal structure and be replaced. Learn the fundamentals of sewing so you too can be a designer. Does Your Child Want to Be a Designer? Needlecraft School Virginia Fawcett Lynn’s Pet Care Going on vacation? Away for the weekend? Work long hours away from home? We’ll care for your pets when you can’t. Please call 201-493-8442 Lynnspetcare18@Yahoo.com RE-SOLE•RE-HEEL BILL’S SHOE REPAIR Rated the “Best Shoe Repair Shop ” by (201) Magazine Authorized K 24 Years in Shoe Repair TOC BIRKENS AM • Expert Shoe Repair and VIBRnter • Riding Boots, Cowboy Boots Repair Ce • Golf Shoes, Zippers and more... 654 Godwin Ave, Midland Park, NJ • 201-493-1011 Hours: Tues-Fri 8:30-5:30 • Sat 8:30-4:00 • Closed Mon This St. Patrick’s Day! GO GREEN Classes for Children 4 to 18 Enrollment is Ongoing. Register Now for Summer Camp. 216 Godwin Ave, Midland Park • 201-444-2976 Teaching Children and Adults Sewing and Designing Skills for Over 30 Years... Welcome to • Well and sick visits • School, camp, sports and work physicals • Complimentary prenatal consultations • Same-day appointments available • Electronic medical records with electronic prescriptions • Board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics We are accepting new patients from newborns to age 21. Call (201) 485-7557 to schedule an appointment 810 Franklin Avenue Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 www.milestonespediatrics.com