Voorhees Township Committee, on May 28,, passed five bond ordinances totaling more than $5.3 million for various township improvements.
The bond ordinances direct funds toward the completion of various road projects and related improvements, the acquisition of sewer utility equipment and improvements to the sewer utility system, the installation of new traffic signalization, the acquisition of vehicles and equipment, and the completion of improvements to various township buildings and grounds.
First, committee passed a bond ordinance for $1.5 million toward its five-year road program. According to Township Administrator Larry Spellman, the township is in the midst of its third iteration of its road program, using a road map created by township engineers that ranks various roads by condition.
An additional $765,000 will be added to the road program, going out to bid for a total of $2.5 million, thanks to grants received from the state Department of Transportation. Included in this year’s road program for repaving are Middlesex Avenue, Burlington Avenue, Camden Avenue, Millbank Lane, Kestrel Lane, Millbank Court and more. Spellman said additional minor repairs are expected for other township roads as well throughout the summer.
“With this repaving, there will be no more roads rated as being in poor condition with this last iteration of the survey,” said Spellman. “We’ve been doing over a million dollars a year for the past several years (for the road program), but I’m hoping that next year we can do less.”
Township engineers resurvey local roads every year, allowing for roads that may deal with extreme problems over the winter season to be updated on the township road map in case of additional need for repaving or repairs.
With regard to sewer utility equipment, Spellman said the main project this summer will be the Sturbridge Lakes Pump Station. After having rehabbed a majority of Voorhees Township stations, Spellman said the township has one additional pump station to update in the near future.
The township will also be working with current sewer lines to “resleeve” to lengthen their effectiveness and lifespan. In a bond ordinance passed for $190,000, the township will replace traffic lights throughout the township, while also placing emergency power at a traffic light to keep it working even when the power goes out.
For approximately $2 million, the township will be acquiring six new police vehicles, as well as additional fire vehicles.
“For the police department, we usually purchase six vehicles per year,” Spellman said. “And so it basically means about every five years, we replace our fleet. Because they do take a beating and you want to make sure those vehicles are always in the best condition.”
The department of public works will also be acquiring a new dump truck and street sweeper through the bond ordinance.
Lastly, the final bond ordinance passed authorizes nearly $1.3 million toward improvements to township buildings and grounds. According to Spellman, $400,000 is for general maintenance and $800,000 is for the upcoming Jake’s Place project. The Sun previously reported that Voorhees Township is working to build an all-inclusive playground for children of all abilities to play together at a location at Connolly Park.
The committee also approved work to be completed this summer along Kirkbride Road to install a sidewalk for easier travel for residents. The township received a state Department of Transportation grant for the project earlier this year.
