August 6, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 9 Midland Park Town to seek third DOT grant for Highwood Avenue Midland Park will ask the NJ Department of Transporta- tion to fund a third phase of the Highwood Avenue / Spruce Street reconstruction project under the 2015 Transportation Trust Fund Municipal Aid Program. The application is due to the DOT in October. The borough received $150,000 from the trust fund in 2013 and $149,000 in 2014, but officials said that amount is not enough to complete what needs to be done to the busy street. The entire project is expected to cost about $450,000. “We’re hoping once they see we have a long-range pro- gram and can’t finish it with what we have received, the DOT will give us the balance to complete the project,” said Borough Administrator Addie Hanna. The borough decided to combine the 2013 and 2014 grants before starting the project, and last month put the wheels in motion to begin the work. At its last meeting, the council authorized Stantec, the borough engineering firm, to complete the plans and specifications for the project and perform the related construction observation services. Hanna said work is expected to begin in mid-September and be completed by year’s end. Funds from the first phase must be expended by Dec. 31. Hanna said curbs and drainage will be installed along all of Highwood Avenue and part of Spruce to control flood- ing. New curbs will delineate the edge of the pavement for added safety and to control storm water flow. DPW Super- intendent Rudy Gnehm said lack of storm drains in the lower Spruce Street area causes serious flooding of road- way and private property as the water rushes down High- wood with no place to go. Storm drains have already been installed up street on Spruce through the years. No new sidewalks are proposed because of the limited width of the street and the additional cost. The administrator said repaving the street would not be done until one year after the drainage project is completed. Funds would come from the grant, if any are left. Other- wise, the work would be done from the town’s annual road paving budget. The mile-long connector roadway is used by motorists as a shortcut between Prospect Street and Glen Avenue. Girls of summer It is heavily traveled and in poor condition due to lack of drainage. Known as “The Estates”, the housing develop- ment was built after World War II with no storm drainage system. After an exciting 10-inning game against River Edge, the Midland Park Panthers 12U girls softball team won the Bergen County Girls Summer Softball League 2014 Championship title by a score of 3-2. Back row: Manager Neal Lein, Alexandra Hartman, Theresa Olson, Coach Fran Patterson, and Coach Trish Olson. Middle row: Mia Farinella, Mackenzie Cleary, Leah Tashian, Mairead Campbell, Lizzie Patterson, and Rachael Balala. Kneeling: Olivia Memmelaar, Alyssa Genao, Allison Vree- land, Emma Lein, and Nicole Passero.