Mount Laurel Township Council is mulling whether to spend more than $1.2 million on paving roads.
That’s one of the items discussed at a recent work session, which means they did not take official action on anything at that meeting.
Mount Laurel Township Manager Jennifer Blumenthal said the road improvements are those recommended by township engineer and the public works department.
The $1.27 million, if approved, would pay for paving of Northlake Drive from Union Mill to the Firehouse Lane; Union Mill Road from Elbo Lane to the bridge past Northlake Drive; Waverly Road, Creek Road, Masonville Road to Knotty Oak Drive; and Granite Avenue, Upper Park Road, Lower Park Road, Gardenia Drive, Gardenia Court, Locust Court, Independence Lane, and Community Lane.
The township is also seeking a municipal aid grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
The grant would be used to improve Union Mill Road from Larchmont Boulevard to Ark Road. The township received $180,000 in 2009 and $200,000 in 2010 from the NJDOT.
Mount Laurel is now also submitting applications for four projects totaling $800,000.
They include: paving Larchmont Boulevard between White Chapel Drive to Christopher Mills Road; making improvements to Ramblewood Parkway from Route 73 to East St. Andrews Drive and East St. Andrews Drive to Church Street; and addressing Academy Drive from Country Club Parkway to Church Road.
One way the township is trying to make Laurel Acres the de facto center of the township is creating a bikeway from Union Mill Road between Elbo Lane and Laurel Acres Park. The $177,000 cost is covered by an NJDOT bicycle grant.
Soon Mount Laurel residents will place all recyclables (glass, paper, plastic) into one bin. Right now the blue bins are just used for recycling paper.
Blumenthal said 5,000 more bins are needed to get one to everyone in the township.
The township will buy 3,500 this year because this is the last year the county will pay for half. She stressed that the funds used are not taxpayers’ dollars but that they come from a recycling tonnage grant.
The council is also considering renewing the township’s contract with Municipal Apartment and Condominium Collection Services (MACCS).
A shared service with Maple Shade, Blumenthal said it saves Mount Laurel about $50,000 per year in trash pickup costs.
And Mount Laurel has passed the state’s best practices test with flying colors.
A score of 90 or better was needed to not lose 5 percent of last year’s aid. Mount Laurel scored 96.
