Sussex Borough fast-tracks Main Street redesign project

The Sussex Borough Council is looking to greenlight the Main Street redesign project at its June 1 meeting, after agreeing to fast-track the plan.

Borough engineer Harold Pellow told the council on May 4 that, in 2020 and 2021, Sussex has received $341,000 in grants for paving, as well as $275,000 in local aid infrastructure funding for sidewalks. The borough has also received $225,000 for streetlight replacement, but Pellow said he has nothing to do with that.

His preliminary estimate is about $524,000, based on maps of the proposed project. More formal designs are expected to take about four to six weeks, with an additional two to three weeks for approval from the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

He said the project could possibly start as early as this fall.

“It looks like you have enough money to do them all,” Pellow said. “I’m not sure you have enough money on the streetlights.”

Councilman Charles Fronheiser asked about the sidewalks on Main Street, by Wolfe Granite Memorials. Pellow agreed to look at it, although it wasn’t part of the project.

Councilman Frank Dykstra said he didn’t like the trees in the middle of town because they don’t grow. He inquired about straight poles since Jersey Central Power & Light, which will own the streetlights, will not allow the borough to hang banners or decorations on them. He said banners and small garbage cans could be hung on straight poles.

Straight poles would have to be put in with the pavers because footings would need to be installed.

Planning board chair Rich Klein asked about raising the pavers to slow drivers down.

“I want to make sure we’re okay, legal wise,” Pellow said.