Government

Brick to Replace or Renovate Recycling Center, Public Works Facility

by
Daniel Nee
April 30, 2024

The Brick Township Public Works and recycling facility at Ridge Road, Spring 2024. (Photo: Shorebeat)

Brick officials, in their capital budget adopted for 2024, are beginning to fund the major task of either heavilt renovating and expanding – or replacing – the buildings at the township’s recycling center and Public Works facility on Ridge Road.

Known colloquially as “the hill,” the sprawling complex includes drop-off points for a plethora of materials, but also houses the Public Works Department as a whole. The township’s recycling and sanitation trucks are stationed there, and the building has been heavily used for about 50 years, officials said.

The need for replacement was identified as the township struggled to meet new state requirements governing the washing of large trucks. Brick, like most towns, utilized a private company to perform the washing, which is subject to heavy environmental regulations, but the costs of doing so have risen steadily, prompting officials to consider investing in the township’s own wash facility. The wash facility would be part of the overall renovation or replacement effort.

“We looked into shared services, but all the garbage trucks come back at the same time because the landfill operates on the same hours for everyone,” said township Business Administrator Joanne Bergin. “So, we have an outside contractor, but it was hard to get one, and it was also hard to get one that was reliable.”

“That started the discussion about getting our own, which in turn got us thinking about how long that building has been there and how long it has been since it was improved,” she added.

Additionally, the township’s Parks and Recreation Department has no home base at all, with its personnel and vehicles scattered across township facilities. This department would also be housed at the Ridge Road facility.

This year’s capital budget provides for an engineering firm to examine the current scenario at Ridge Road and make recommendations on how to proceed in the long term. From that point, either a renovation, expansion or a new facility altogether will be considered, Bergin said. Like many major township projects, however, the project will likely be funded in phases and progress over time.

The Brick Township Public Works and recycling facility at Ridge Road, Spring 2024. (Photo: Shorebeat)

“It’s a project that is going to take years,” said Bergin. “It’s going to take us years to be able to put the money aside and to make sure we’re planning it correctly and to get our permits. You’re not going to be at a grand opening this year.”

The Public Works facility has drawn significant praise from the community for decades – it once even included a small petting zoo for children – and is open daily to collect bulk items, metal goods and recyclables, as well as leaves and debris at no cost to residents. Twice yearly, the facility also allows residential construction material disposal and occasionally hosts county-led HAZMAT collections. These services will continue regardless of the plan for the building on-site, Bergin said.