Paterson’s River Street to undergo $10 million improvement project
Repairs will be made the the sewers, drainage and pavement. The hope is to help prevent flooding.
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After 30 years of neglect, River Street in Paterson is getting a much-needed overhaul.
City officials have approved the $10 million project to repair sewers, drainage and pave the stretch of roadway. The work will be paid for with money from the American Rescue Plan.
Work on River Street, which is a mile and a half will begin on Monday.
“They’re going to be digging up portions of the road to determine where the utilities cross. Where the water line, PSEG lines and sewer lines cross,” says city engineer James McGrath.
He says that after that, the contractors will put cameras underground to see what parts of the sewer system need repair or replacement.
"We can guess from the plans we have, but obviously, when you look at it in real time, you’ll have a better idea of what’s going on underneath,” McGrath says.
Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh spoke from River Street on Friday about the project, flanked by council members from three separate wards.
“Today, we’re telling you, finally we’re going to fix River Street,” Sayegh says. "To address the flat tires. To address the flooding that’s why it’s a priority project."
Work on the drains and sewer lines is especially important because of the flooding that occurs on this stretch of road. River Street sits right alongside the Passaic River and has virtually no protection from rising water.
In January and March of this year, flooding from storms forced people to wade through 3 feet of water while the high water closed portions of River Street to cars.
It’s a project that’ll take between 10 to 14 months to complete.
