The Township of Teaneck is approximately 6 square miles and contains about 130 miles of paved roadway. Through the Township Road Resurfacing Program, about 4 miles of road are slated for repaving each year. The roads are typically damaged by tough winters and climate changes that result in potholes and breaks on many streets. Increasing money allocated for road resurfacing has been a hot topic in the Teaneck Council for many years. Residents repeatedly attend meetings urging council members to repair roadways that are broken up, posing a danger to pedestrians and to drivers alike. Elie Katz, deputy mayor of Teaneck, is in favor of the road resurfacing program and believes it needs to be a priority but not at the expense of residential taxpayers. “Teaneck residents are at a breaking point,” he said. “Taxes are high and we feel it. We need to deliver more for less.”
Many of the roads included on this year’s list are in the Northwest section of Teaneck. In some cases, residents have been attempting to persuade the township to resurface streets adjacent to their properties for many years. Norbert Strauss has been speaking with the council for close to a decade in the hopes of having Reis Avenue between Sussex Road and Pennington Road paved.
“While Reis Avenue is only one block long, it has been ‘a long road’ in the pursuit to have it paved,” said Mr. Strauss. It is currently a street filled with gravel and rocks. At the conclusion of every winter Mr. Strauss has called the council office to send a truck to remove the debris that snow plows dumped on his lawn throughout snowy winter months. Come springtime, the deep potholes remain filled with water, providing an ideal breeding ground for unwanted mosquitos. Until now the township has claimed that the city is not responsible for paving this portion of Reis Avenue, because there are no entrances to homes facing the street. Mr. Strauss was elated to learn that Reis Avenue is on the list for the upcoming road resurfacing project. “I am hopeful but I won’t hold my breath,” exclaimed Mr. Strauss.
The project was put out to bid on February 14. Sealed bids will be received and read aloud by the township engineer in the Township of Teaneck Municipal Building, 818 Teaneck Road, on March 15 at 1 p.m. The project is expected to be awarded by the Township Council on March 23 at the council meeting at 8 p.m. The proposed plan includes the resurfacing of two dozen roads in Teaneck, including the reconstruction of handicap ramps according to ADA standards and replacement of concrete vertical curbs and sidewalks where needed.
The project is expected to begin in April 2016 and should take about four months to complete, weather permitting. The following is a list of roads included in this resurfacing program.
By Andrea Nissel
