Spring Street in Nazareth to receive $219,000 worth of upgrades

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

Work to prevent storm water runoff on Spring Street in Nazareth is to begin in the spring with the help of $194,000 in county grant funding, borough officials said.

The borough is paying about $25,000 toward the $219,000 project and the remaining $194,000 is being paid with Northampton County Community Development Block Grant funds, said Lori Sywensky, the county's community development administrator.

The project is expected to be completed by summer 2012 and will benefit about 29 homes, according to county records.

Borough officials wrote in the grant application that improving storm water runoff will reduce debris and garbage that could wash into storm water systems.

Borough secretary Paul Kokolus said the Spring Street runoff flows south from the top of Convent Avenue, which intersects with Spring Street, and eventually onto the Essroc Cement Company. He said those visiting the front of Holy Family School can see a large storm drain with an almost constant stream of water running through it.

The project includes reconstructing and rehabilitating Spring and Phoenix Streets, pipe replacements and upgrades, basin replacements and street repairs.

Sywensky said 72 percent of the affected households are low-income housing.

The grant requires that affected homes are low-income. So runoff problems at Spring Brook Terrace in the borough, where nine homeowners have urged officials to help repair the road, would not meet CDBG criteria, Sywensky said.

Among other municipalities receiving CDBG funding, Upper Nazareth Township got $311,322 to help rehabilitate 15 low-income homes.

“We’re very pleased that the county funds are available because we have many people on our waiting list,” said Upper Nazareth Vice Chairman Scott Sylvainus.

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