On Wednesday, Acting Governor Kim Guadagno released a list of road construction projects that would be subject to what the state called “an orderly shutdown” on Friday. These projects were put on a list by Gov. Chris Christie on June 30 because the governor and the New Jersey Senate could not agree on a plan to fix New Jersey’s Transportation Trust Fund. The TFF is nearly broke.
Two Verona construction projects are on the state list–Claremont Avenue and Commerce Court–and some news outlets asserted on Thursday that work on them would end on Friday night. That’s not quite the case.
Township Manager Matthew Cavallo notes that Verona, like many municipalities, funds road projects like Claremont and Commerce Court out of its capital fund and is later reiumbursed for the work by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. Cavallo notes that Verona has awarded a contract to Stanziale Construction for the work, and has received a grant award and executed contract from the state. The paving of the second section of Claremont Avenue, Cavallo said, “is scheduled to proceed on schedule”.
The sticking point may be getting the state to live up to its end of the contract. In normal construction times, when a project is completed, the state releases the agreed-upon funding and the town is reimbursed. “When funding is eventually released by the state,” Cavallo said, “we will submit for reimbursement of the project.”
The statement on the shutdown was released by Guadagno because Christie is on vacation in Italy.
