Middletown Paves Way to Afford $4.5 Million Roads Project

Middletown Township is paving for the road ahead by planning for the first two years of a major fourteen year road project and restructuring bonds be able to afford the much needed repairs.

The estimated $4.5 million project comes at an excellent time for the township after a harsh, record-breaking winter.

Repairs on the roads include lowering the streets, repaving/resurfacing the streets and adding more stormwater drains to try and accommodate the excess rain water that seems to be a rampant problem throughout the township.

In the first two years of the project, the township will be working on roads that they believe are at their most critical state, officials said.

In year one, the township aims to repair Eagles Road, Swan Point, parts of Woodbourne Road, Clay Avenue, portions of Neshaminy Point, Fir Avenue and Madison Avenue.

In year two, the township will be repairing Mill Road, Township Line Road, portions of Village Road, Clearview Avenue and a small portion of Old Lincoln Highway.

Another portion of major roadway they intend to repair is North and South Flowers Mill Road. Although officials say the road was repaved four years ago, but the large amounts of storm runoff has destroyed the road.

The following years of the plan have yet to be discussed by the board.

With the overhaul of repairs on the horizon, it is requiring the township to have to refinance their current debt. A presentation was held on March 31 where the Board of Supervisors were given options to refinance a 2009 bond so the township could borrow money for the repairs.

A big debating point for the board was the fact that many were not sure how things would look in the following years if they decided to refinance their bonds.

Several board members were saying that they “don’t have a crystal ball” and “they can’t be predicting the future” when it comes to a major investment such as the road project.

In the end, the board voted to restructure the township’s 2009 bond with tax exempt bonds, adding up to $5 million of new money, and to heighten their payments of debts to $2.7 million per year through 2024.

Also discussed at the meeting was the vacating of Sumac street. The Board of Supervisors have agreed to vacate 225 linear feet of an unopened portion of Sumac street which they intend to use as a permanent utility easement and stormwater easement facility.