Mayor Dennis Elwell said town officials have had pre-construction meetings with Fletcher Creamer, the contractor awarded the contract, to discuss various issues regarding the resurfacing of three streets in the north end neighborhood and the installation of new curbs and sidewalks.
"Work is likely to start in the middle of the week," Elwell said.
Gail Place is part of a circle of streets off Radio Avenue with a single way in and out.
The project was delayed partly because of discussions with PSE&G and United Water Company as to whether not the companies would pick up some of the costs of the project. An explosion and fire gutted a house on Gail Place in February 2001 after confusion over street markings resulted in a gas leak.
At the time, Mayor Elwell asked the state Board of Public Utilities to investigate and come up with preventative measures. As a result, some safeguards were supposedly put into place and there were agreements with United Water and PSE&G.
Later in the same year, several houses suffered gas infestation due to a similar mix up after the water company dug in the street. Since then, both companies have moved to make certain the street had the correct markings.
"All the gas and water connections are done in the neighborhood," Elwell said.
Town officials had sought to get the two companies to foot the bill for the repairs as a show of good faith to the neighborhood. Residents along the street claim that one or other company has been digging up the street nearly every week.
Whereas United Water was willing to pay for half the street's repaving in the area, PSE&G cannot, as per a mandate from the state Board of Public Utilities.
"Where PSE&G said they would do anything the Board of Public Utilities asked, the board could not justify allowing PSE&G to pay for the work," Elwell said. "We asked them to do repaving and the curbs and sidewalks."
As a result, the town will expend its entire yearly paving budget on the project.
"We hoping to get the work done before the end of the year," Elwell said, "or before the asphalt plants close in December."
Elwell also noted that some of the trees in the neighborhood will have to be removed as part of the sidewalk and curb work.
"We will try to save as many trees as possible," he said. "We're looking closely at what trees will need to be removed."
Elwell also said the town would monitor tree growth more closely to make certain trees do not reach the point where they have to be removed because of overgrowth.
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