Mayor Gusciora Encourages City Council to Approve American Rescue Plan Funds for Essential Water Main Repairs on Olden Ave

Resolution 21-394 to be voted on at Sept. 16, 2021 City Council Meeting

Trenton, N.J. – Mayor W. Reed Gusciora today issued a statement encouraging City Council to pass Resolution 21-394, which allocates $4 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to repair a water main along the Olden Avenue corridor in Ewing Township that has had 10 major breaks since January 2017:

“Make no mistake: these repairs are absolutely necessary. While we originally proposed funding the project through a bond ordinance, it was not passed by City Council. As per City Council request, the new resolution has been adjusted to have this project financed by the American Rescue Plan instead.

This corridor has been notorious for major water main breaks over the last few years, including several in just the last few months that caused the roadway to buckle and flood several businesses in the area. Even though this $4 million expenditure is not in our existing ARP plan, critical utility investments such as the Olden Avenue project are clearly permitted under the federal regulations. Without a bonding ordinance the city has no other means to finance this project.

As stewards of Trenton Water Works (TWW), it is our fiduciary and moral responsibility to ensure that this project is successful. I ask that City Council pass this resolution so as to reaffirm our commitment to our residents and TWW ratepayers that Trenton is willing to do whatever it can to develop and maintain the water utility.”