So when’s the last time people actually seemed pleased about a major construction project in their neighborhood?
It’s happening today in along Main Street in Camden’s historic district. Crews from Ashton Group Ltd. of Newark are tearing up old sidewalks, replacing them with new brick walkways and installing decorative street lighting.
“From our perspective, we couldn’t be more pleased,” said Town Manager James Plumley. “We’ve gotten a lot of feedback, all positive. The only thing negative is that it sometimes ties up traffic a little bit, but I haven’t gotten any phone calls relative to that.
“It’s a remarkable improvement, and it’s been welcomed in a great, great way.”
Ashton’s construction personnel have been working since July 12, with an eye toward finishing up Friday, Oct. 22.
The project started when Camden officials got word of streetscape improvement funds available through the U.S. Department of Transportation. The federal government would pick up 80% of the tab, while the town would ante up the remainder. Fortunately for Camden, which is having budgetary problems this year, the state Department of Transportation was able to award a grant for its share of the funding.
The project was awarded to Ashton after it submitted a bid of just under $388,000.
Stretching along both sides of Main Street from its intersection with Camden-Wyoming Avenue, Ashton’s crews are removing old concrete sidewalks that over the years had bucked and heaved out of place. They had to cut down some trees — which will be replaced — remove roots and pull out abandoned utility lines as well.
They also removed deteriorating brick pavers, some of which had become buried under the sod over the last several decades.
“Some of that brick is unbelievable,” said Ashton Group President Joe Ashton. “It’s really old and historic.”
Many of the bricks, which may be at least a century old, were not of good enough quality to reuse in the project, so Ashton gave them away to just about anyone who wanted them.
All told, the company will put down more than 8,000 square feet of new brick along both sides of the roadway.
“I love it. We had cement sidewalks that were irregular and tired,” said town resident and former town council member Charles “Chick” Curry. “The new brick looks really nice, especially in our historic district.”
Email Jeff Brown at jeff.brown@doverpost.com.
