The long-awaited second phase of the Atlantic Avenue repaving project is finally a go, the mayor announced Wednesday.
Atlantic Avenue has long been an issue for residents and visitors to the city.
Mayor Marty Small previously announced a plan to have it taken care of, which began with a project that repaved the street from Maine to Tennessee avenues.
But when it came to the remainder, work stopped.
We were supposed to start last fall with paving from tennessee to Albany AVenue to complete the project but politics got in the way," Small said.
But it was a text at 3:26 p.m. Tuesday — Small's birthday, he noted — that Congressman Jeff Van Drew announced that the money was cleared and things would move forward.
Small read the text from Van Drew, who said he was unable to attend the press conference but "wanted to take a moment to celebrate this exciting announcement with all of you."
He said that he worked with President Donald Trump in getting the money through.
The project also includes work to Pacific Avenue.
The city is waiting for the go-ahead to advertise, and have the project awarded in May. Then it is hoped to be completed by the end of summer.
The mayor said it would be an expedited schedule with safety kept in mind.
