Residents press Cumberland County over South Avenue culvert design as county awards replacement contract

The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners approved a contract to replace structure number 06F0031 — South Avenue over Roe Capps Run — while members of the public urged the county to consider traffic‑calming options and alternatives to fully reopening the road to heavy two‑way traffic.

Resolution 2025‑674, which awards the replacement contract (bid 25‑38), was moved and seconded and carried as part of the consent and roll‑call process. Deputy Director Marshon and other commissioners noted the project has been delayed by permits and approvals but that the county is now able to proceed with construction.

Several residents who spoke during the public‑comment period described long waits for repair and asked whether a two‑way traffic plan would require building an additional culvert. One resident suggested that, if the city of Bridgeton requests it, the county should consider a more constrained configuration or bicycle‑only routing to avoid turning the neighborhood into a high‑speed thoroughfare. "Maybe make it more constricted so that that traffic is not really run all that," one resident said, urging consideration of options that would keep the area quieter and safer for neighbors.

Commissioners acknowledged those concerns and said the county had discussed the issue with municipal officials; staff cautioned that certain legal and financing steps tied to road‑improvement funding may limit design options. A deputy noted the project "has been a long time coming" and thanked prior directors and staff for moving the effort forward.

The resolution authorizes the county to proceed with the replacement; the transcript did not include a specific contractor dollar amount in the recorded exchange. Next steps will be final permitting, pre‑construction coordination with the city, and scheduling of on‑site work.