What’s with the partial pave jobs on Hudson Avenue and East Bergen Place?

Almost two weeks ago, paving contractors laid down a 10-foot wide strip of steamy new asphalt along the north side of East Bergen. At the same time, they paved exactly half of Hudson—the western half of the north-south thoroughfare. Then the contractors packed up and left.

What gives?

Two different scenarios, says Borough Administrator Stanley Sickels.

Hudson had been ripped open along its length by New Jersey Natural Gas a couple of years ago for the installation of a new service line, says Sickels. Instead of simply patching over the trench, the company agreed to pave half the street, leaving the borough to pick up the cost of the other half.

That job is expected to be completed in coming days as part of the combined 2005-2006 road improvement plan. Mayor Ed McKenna says the deal reduced the borough’s cost for the street repaving to about $35,000.

Separately, says Sickels, the gas company agreed to repave a portion of East Bergen between South Street and Broad—crossing the intersection with Hudson—as recompense for damage it caused to a storm sewer.

Bergen Place, though, has been thoroughly ripped up by the borough itself, mostly in connection with repairs to a sanitary sewer line. Repaving the rest of the street, which is fairly pitted at the Hudson intersection, just wasn’t in the budget, says Sickels.

“At some point, we’ll have to go back and refurbish that whole stretch,” he says.

Other borough streets inow n the process of getting repaved or recently completed include Irving Place, River Street, part of West Street, Allen Pace, Chapin Avenue, Munson Street, part of Henry Street, and West Westside Avenue.

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