If it seems as though there are more potholes than usual this spring in Maplewood, it is not just your imagination.
Township Committee member Jerry Ryan, who chairs the Planning & Engineering Committee, said at last week’s TC meeting that the township counted around 200 potholes — “to no one’s surprise” — due to the severity of the winter.
The township has determined it has the staffing and ability to repair them all. “We’re on it,” said Ryan.
In addition, the entirely of Woodland Road will need to be repaved because it has “severely deteriorated.”
Ryan also said the township engineer had determined that the corner of Woodland and Durand Roads, by the Burgdorff Center, might benefit from the addition of a small island to improve traffic safety at that intersection.
“That span is particularly wide and difficult to cross,” said Ryan. The island would be similar to the one installed at the entrance to the parking lot at The Woodland, and would be closer to the Burgdorff side of the street.
“The idea would be that the distance between the current curb and the island would be wide enough for one car, a turn lane,” said Ryan in an email. “This is still being discussed.”
Township Committeewoman India Larrier asked if it would be like the “wagon wheel” traffic circle installed in late 2012 at the intersection of Plymouth Avenue, Burnett Terrace, Ivy Terrace and Oakland Road. Ryan said it was a similar idea but would be a far less extensive project.
