Warren's road projects and overlay program, explained

NJDOT-funded road work

Warren’s three NJDOT-funded road contracts began as Municipal Aid awards. Res. 2025-290 and 2025-291 recite that NJDOT awarded King George Road Phase II under FY2022 Municipal Aid on Oct. 21, 2021, and Mountainview Road Phase I on Nov. 23, 2022. On Dec. 11, 2025 the Committee approved plans dated Nov. 12 for King George, Berkshire Drive to Washington Valley Road, and Nov. 13 for Mountainview, 15 Mountainview Road to Round Top Road.

It then awarded both to Stilo of South Plainfield: $221,889.98 for King George, lowest of nine bids that ran to KCC’s $296,296.00, and $357,660.05 for Mountainview, lowest of ten that ran to PM Construction’s $463,945.00. Both resolutions directed the Engineer to file the award with NJDOT for approval before work started (Res. 2025-298 and 2025-300; 4–0, Blick absent).

King George bids were advertised Oct. 23 and opened Nov. 25, 2025; Mountainview bids were advertised Nov. 18 and opened Dec. 4. On April 16, 2026 Committeeman Croson said work would begin April 20 on King George and then move to Mountainview Phase I.

The third contract came later. On June 18, 2026 the Committee awarded Mountainview Road Phase II to Riverview Paving of Hackettstown at not more than $509,422.55, lowest of 11 bids received May 21, 2026, with JA Alexander at $533,205.63 next and Westcraft Builders highest at $733,976.00 (Res. 2026-155, 5–0). That resolution also required NJDOT approval before commencement. The April minutes describe Phase II as Round Top Road to Mount Horeb; the November 2025 and August 2026 resolutions describe the grant project as Round Top Road to Mount Bethel Road.

Valley View and grant steps

Valley View Road is funded separately. On Dec. 11, 2025 Township Engineer Christian Kastrud reported a $252,952.00 NJDOT grant for milling, overlay and drainage on the road, in addition to the overlay program. Resident Joseph Faro thanked the Township for the grant and asked that drainage maintenance and repairs on Mount Bethel Road also be addressed.

Ordinance 26-05, introduced Feb. 19, 2026 by a 5–0 roll call, appropriated $445,000 for Valley View Road improvements and authorized $420,000 in bonds or notes. It was adopted March 12 after a public hearing with no comments, 4–0, with Croson absent.

Two more grant steps followed. On June 18, Resolution 2026-184, on a consent list adopted 5–0, authorized applications and New Jersey Department of Transportation grant contracts for Reinman Road, Mount Bethel Road to Old Stirling Road, and Mountain Avenue, King George Road to Old Stirling Road. Croson said applications had been submitted. On October 22, 2026, the agenda listed Resolution 2026-259, a two-month extension of the New Jersey Department of Transportation grant for ‘King George Road Project Phase 4.’ The records reviewed do not show a scope, amount, or map for Phase 4. LocalWhy has not reviewed minutes for that meeting.

The 24-street overlay

The annual overlay is the Township’s own program for local streets. On May 14, 2026 Res. 2026-152 awarded it to Carroccia Co. Contractors (CCM) of Green Brook at not more than $945,800.00. The price is built from unit rates: a maximum of 10,000 tons of overlay at $94.50 a ton and 80,000 square yards of milling at $0.01 a square yard. Six bids were received; the resolution lists them from $1,325,100 to $1,968,500 and does not explain how the unit-price award relates to the lump-sum bids. Funds come from three accounts: $504,000, $81,000 and $360,800. The vote was 5–0.

The resolution names 24 streets. These include Old Smalleytown Road, Glenview Road, Sage Drive, Plainfield Avenue, Gates Avenue, Summerhill Drive, Brady Road, Old Stirling Road, Blue Jay Court, Trails End Court, Elm Avenue, First Street, Rockage Road, Softwood Way, Jessica Lane, Ponds Edge Lane, Geiger Lane, South Lane, and Spruce Lane.

The resolution required the Superintendent of Public Works to report on roads completed by Sept. 30, 2026. On June 18 the Committee separately authorized up to $100,000 for road micro surfacing and installation through a state contract (Res. 2026-156, 5–0). A Township release dated June 10, 2026 said the Committee had allotted more than $4,960,765.20 to overlay in five years, paving over 23 miles since 2022, with about five more miles scheduled in 2026. On Aug. 20 Croson said the program was ‘almost complete’ and that paved or milled roads had presented no issue. LocalWhy has not reviewed the completion report.

Change orders and schedule gaps

Two contract changes appear in the minutes. Mountainview Road Phase I rose by $79,690.15, which is 23 percent, to $437,350.20 on July 16, 2026, in Resolution 2026-203. King George Road Phase II rose by $29,512.69, which is 13.3 percent, to $251,402.67 on August 20, in Resolution 2026-224. Both changes cite asphalt and fuel price adjustments under the New Jersey Department of Transportation formula and additional traffic officers. The King George change also covers an inlet repair.

The grant calendar is not settled in the record. On Nov. 13, 2025 Res. 2025-279 asked NJDOT for a six-month extension of the Mountainview Road Phase 2 grant to April 30, 2026. On Aug. 20, 2026 Res. 2026-225 asked for a two-month extension ‘to June 26, 2026,’ a date already past when the resolution was adopted. Neither resolution records NJDOT’s answer.

The overlay resolution states that bids were received April 26, 2026. The Township’s bid posting, which would help clarify the bid schedule, needs a browser; LocalWhy has not reviewed it. LocalWhy has not reviewed minutes for the Sept. 24 and Oct. 22, 2026 meetings; the Oct. 22 agenda lists Res. 2026-268, Change Order #1 for the overlay, and Res. 2026-271, surveying for Valley View Road, without amounts. LocalWhy has not reviewed paving completion notices or NJDOT agreements.