Newton, Sussex County to share Mill Street sidewalk expense

NEWTON – Work is scheduled to begin this year on a joint town-county project to repave a portion of Mill Street, upgrade existing sidewalks and install new ones where needed.

On Monday, the Council approved the agreement which calls for the town to pay for the sidewalk work while Sussex County will fund the paving and “narrowing” of Mill Street, also designated as County Route 519. 

The county already had repaving and other work for Mill Street on its calendar when the town applied for, and received, a Small Cities Community Development block grant for improvements, including sidewalks and “streetscape” along the half-mile section of Mill Street between Water Street and the entrance to Project Self-Sufficiency.

The new sidewalks will be on both sides of the road and include upgrades of existing sidewalks and new sidewalks in parts of the route.

The agreement also includes new markings at each of the street crosswalks, upgraded drainage and stormwater collection. 

The county will pay for the full costs of the paving, guide rails and stormwater modifications as well as pay half of the cost for designs, permits, construction inspections and buffer topsoil and seeding. 

The town will pay for all other costs, such as sidewalks, new street lighting, landscaping, and retaining walls installed as part of the streetscape. The town will also be responsible for snow and ice removal on the sidewalks within the project area. 

Also at Monday’s meeting, the council approved the use of $45,000 in unused funds from other projects to cover the design and construction costs of the proposed dog park in a section of the park-and-ride lot on the northern side of Memory Park. 

The agreement between Sussex County and the town note that the county believes that “a reconfiguration of the roadway can improve safety, calm traffic, (and) enhance mobility for pedestrians.”

This is the first of two major sidewalk projects in the Mill Street and Water Street area. The town has a second small grant for sidewalks along the west side of Water Street from Clinton Street to just south of South Park Drive.

Town Manager Thomas S. Russo said the total project cost will be determined by the final design. The town's block grant is for $400,000.