DPW: Holland Mountain Road Improvements to Begin This Summer

Holland Mounain Road will be improved with money that Jefferson Township obtained from a New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) grant totaling $250,000, according to Jeff Elam, the township’s

“This is great news for the township,  because it continues several years of successful applications made by the township to upgrade arterial roads,” Elam said.

Much of Jefferson’s success in obtaining these grants is attributed to township workers moving quickly to complete these once the money is awarded, Elam said.

“The DOT hates for money to be granted and then projects not completed,” he said. “We’ve been able to leverage our staff to complete much of the preparatory work , making the project more cost effective,” he added.

Improvements  included in the current grant include:

• A two-inch overlay along the entire stretch of the road to be made by a contractor;
• Widening to provide shoulders along most of the roadway, to be completed by the township;
• Removal of several rock constrictions along the lower end by the township;
• Installation of several sections of guard rail by a contractor;
• Repair and upgrade of drainage facilities at several locations by the township;
• Installation of center line reflectors by the township; and
• Updating of all signage to new Federal DOT reflectivity standards and size requirements.

The work for this project is scheduled to begin this summer, and  Elam said the hope is for the work to be completed by the fall. Motorists should expect  temporary detours on Holland Mountain Road while rock is removed, and alternating lane closures during widening work.

“One thing we will be watching closely is the price of oil, since that directly affects the prices of asphalt, which will impact the total cost of this project,” Elam said.

Other road improvements completed recently under this program include Lower Berkshire Valley Road, Minnisink Road, Espanong Road, a section of Weldon Road and Ridge Road.