Council Paves Way to Improved Roadways

By MADDY VITALE and DONALD WITTKOWSKI Residents in the north end of Ocean City, where some of the most spectacular homes are located on the island, have something to be pleased about -- throughout the offseason they will see progress to create newly paved roads. As part of three contracts totaling about $3.8 million approved during the City Council meeting Thursday, numerous north end roads from the east to the west will be repaved, sidewalks will be spruced up and other work will be completed. Since Mayor Jay Gillian was elected in 2010, he said a major priority of his will be to improve the roadways and other infrastructure. Throughout his tenure, many projects have been completed to create better roads and reduce flooding with upgraded drainage systems. First Ward Councilman Michael DeVlieger, who represents the areas in the latest roadway improvement plan, said the city's infrastructure will continue to be a top priority of the Council and the administration. Some of the roads running through the north end have been neglected for decades. This crumbling pavement is at Edinburgh Road near the intersection of Wesley Road. “It is part of the Council’s and the administration’s ongoing commitment to improve the infrastructure,” DeVlieger noted. “A lot of the roadways have been neglected for decades. We are trying to make incremental progress throughout the offseason to improve them.” He added, “While it creates some inconveniences with road closures and the like, once we get through this, the newly paved roads will be appreciated for a long time to come.” The road improvements planned for the north end of town are broken down into three major parts, including the neighborhoods in the upscale Gardens section. South State Inc. out of Bridgeton, N.J., the lowest bidder, will do the work on various locations in the east section of the north end for $929,972. Several of those city blocks include Seaview, Seacrest, Seacliff, East New Castle and East Belfast roads, Waverly Boulevard and East Little Gardens Parkway. The contract for road improvements in the north end west is for $696,350. South State will also do that work as the low bidder. Some of those roadways include Harbor Road, West Edinburgh Road, Starboard Lane, West Aberdeen Road and Bay Road from Battersea Road to the end. In addition to the roadwork, the contractor will also do curbing, sidewalks and some drainage improvements. South State, as the low bidder, was also awarded another contract for $2.2 million for road, parking, sidewalk and drainage improvements in the area near the high school. Those areas include Atlantic Avenue between 5th Street to North Street, 5th Street west to Atlantic Avenue, 4th Street north to Atlantic Avenue, the Sports & Civic Center parking lot, the 5th Street Boardwalk access ramp and the Beach Road sidewalk. The parking lot at the Ocean City Sports & Civic Center will be one of the areas repaved.