Ford Road to be improved
BY TOYNETT HALL
Staff Writer

HOWELL - An $820,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) issued by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will be used for the reconstruction of Ford Road from Route 9 to Kent Road. The project will be divided into four phases with each phase costing about $200,000.

According to HUD's Internet Web site, the CDBG program provides communities with resources to address a wide range of development needs.

Communities which are awarded grants must meet national objectives including benefiting low- and moderate-income individuals, prevention or elimination of slums or blight, or address community development needs having a particular urgency because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community for which other funding is not available, according to the Web site.

Township Engineer William Nunziato said that "based on the 2002 census there are now only two eligible areas remaining in Howell. One is the upper area bounded by Route 524, Ketchum Road, the Manasquan River and Route 9. The northern area is Route 9, Church Road and the Metedeconk River."

The area deemed most suitable that meets the criteria of the federal grant is Ford Road, which is a sub-collector road based on traffic volume, location and the function of the road.

"Over the years this road has changed and created a dangerous travel way for flooding. It has deteriorated," Nunziato said.

According to information provided by the township, "Part one is the design process and part two is a portion of the construction process."

Nunziato said, "2007 was the first year and that portion has actually been approved by Monmouth County (which administers the CDBG program) and the federal government."

Municipal officials are waiting for the funding to be released before proceeding with the road improvements.