Ridgewood Engineering Department Wins Another Award

Fresh off its gold star recognition for the ongoing river rehabilitation project, the Ridgewood Engineering Department was recently recognized for the resurfacing of Grove Street.

The New Jersey Chapter of the American Public Works Association in November awarded the engineering department's Grove Street road reconstruction as its public works project of the year.

"It's nice to be recognized by your peers," Village Engineer Chris Rutishauser said, adding it's the first Complete Streets project Ridgewood has undertaken. 

An oft-delayed project, crater-laden Grove Street was narrowed and repaved in June. Engineers constructed a large traffic calming island near the Paramus border. The department says speeding from the Paramus to the west has lessened since construction.

The design also incorporates bicycle lanes from the county bike path to Berkshire Road a major component of the Department of Transportation's Complete Streets program. In addition, since the road was narrowed the cost of asphalt will be lessened, the department wrote in its application for the award.

Ridgewood's Grove Street reconstruction project was largely funded by $150,000 in state grants; the village chipped in about $100,000.