Adams Township starts phase 2 of Three Degree Road
ADAMS TWP — A round of applause came from residents Monday, Jan. 23, evening after the township supervisors awarded a $3.7 million contract to Shields Asphalt Paving for phase two of Three Degree Road’s reconstruction.
Supervisors voted to accept the bid, totaling $3,717,788.63 for the project, which has been a work-in-progress for about a decade. It also approved an alternate bid of $220,534.22 for the reconfiguration of Davidson Road, which will be fully funded by impact fees.
“We’ve tabled this motion for a number of months, and it’s taken a lot of people’s effort for this,” vice chairman Ronald Shemela said of the Three Degree Road project.
The second phase of the reconstruction will include improvements to paving and drainage, a new culvert and an improvement that has been 10 years in the making.
“There will be a trail — from the school, connecting to the park,” said Supervisor Darryl Brandon.
Residents applauded at this.
“Yeah, you can clap,” Supervisor chairman Russel Ford said. “Please. It’s only been 10 years since we started this.”
Shemela said that the township was working on drawings for the third phase, and bidding was likely to begin in April.
“Obviously, phase three cannot go at the same time as phase two, so phase three probably will not start until next spring,” Ford said. “By the end of ‘24, Three Degree Road could be completely done.”
Work on the road will begin as soon as the bond process for the bid is complete. Phase two is expected to be completed in fall 2023.
“I would say shovels return on March 1,” Shemela said.
The township also agreed to sign an agreement concerning Middlesex Township’s Sienna Village development project.
“This is a plan that’s mostly in Middlesex and partially in Adams,” said Michael Gallagher, solicitor for the board of supervisors. “It was denied by Adams Township because they wanted to put in private roads instead of public roads.”
Middlesex filed an appeal against the denial and has since addressed the township’s concerns, he said.
“They came back, they agreed to put in public roads up to the new plan,” Gallagher said. “They’re asking if they can withdraw the appeal.”
Gallagher said he was satisfied with the agreement, and asked for permission to dismiss the case. The board approved.
The townships will still need to determine which municipality will maintain the section of road in Adams Township.
“This is good, though,” Ford said. “We wanted what we wanted, and we held our ground. This is exactly what should have been done.”
