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Borough moves forward with Hillside Avenue reconstruction to fix stormwater issues
Summary
Staff and consultants reviewed Hillside Avenue reconstruction plans aimed at long-standing stormwater and roadway problems; the board discussed drainage investigations, repurposing brick features, design cost allocations and confirmed an $800,000 capital allocation for initial design work.
Staff and consultants presented design work on Hillside Avenue reconstruction, emphasizing stormwater remediation, roadway stabilization and preservation of historic streetscape features where practical. The presentation noted previous CCTV drainage investigations and downstream detention basins completed in prior years, and said the reconstruction will address recurring flooding and failing drainage infrastructure.
Consultants described options for repurposing existing brick surfaces in historically significant areas and for integrating sidewalk, crosswalk and accessibility improvements. The board discussed the tradeoffs between full brick restoration and stamped concrete or other approaches that provide historical character at lower ongoing maintenance cost. Staff noted the borough had placed $800,000 in the capital budget to cover initial design and that additional construction funding will need to be identified to close gaps.
Engineering scope includes replacement of corroded pipes that caused prior sinkage, coordination with adjacent park and downtown projects, and balancing parking needs with sidewalk placement. The consultant said preliminary cost allocations will be refined as design advances and that construction-phase funding responsibility will be clarified during design.
The board discussed public expectations about bricks vs. concrete and asked staff to consider retaining some historic bricks for aesthetic uses even if full brick roadway reconstruction is not economical.
Next steps: refine final design options, update cost estimates and return to the board for approval of construction-phase funding plans.
