Flooding in the Normandy Beach neighborhood, Jan. 2021. (Photo: Daniel Nee)
The Brick half of a state-funded program to raise streets in the Normandy Beach neighborhood is ready to move forward, officials said.
The township council last week passed a resolution accepting $401,859 from the state Department of Transportation toward the elevation project, which will include raising the height of the street, repaving the roadway and improving overall drainage along Broad, Arrow and Normandy drives.
Normandy Beach, located in the barrier island portion of the township, is split between Toms River and Brick. After lobbying from residents who raised concerns of flooding that had begun to become dangerous, the two towns secured joint funding to elevate the most-affected roadways. The contracts for the project have been awarded in a south-to-north configuration, meaning Toms River’s portions received their funding first.
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“The project began in Toms River and is now moving more toward Brick territory,” said township Business Administrator Joanne Bergin. “The residents are very happy this is nearing its start, because it has been a major concern for them, but in order to do the shared service we had to be contiguous with Toms River.”
The timing for the project has yet to be determined.
“We just got the grant award, so we have to use one of our engineers to design the project,” said Bergin.
Flooding in the Normandy Beach neighborhood, Jan. 2021. (Photo: Daniel Nee)
Normandy Beach, Brick and Toms River, N.J. (Photo: Daniel Nee)
The township maintains a pool of engineering firms it utilizes for projects of various specialties. Bergin said the township may choose to work with the same firm that designed the Toms River portion of the project due to their familiarity, however it must be confirmed that that particular company wishes to remain part of the pool after the new year.
“We don’t want to start now because we need to see who our pool members will be in 2024, but we will start right after that is approved,” said Bergin.
Professional firms in such pools are generally appointed at the start of each new year.
