Paterson approves $8.6M contract to repave pothole marred River Street

PATERSON — The long-delayed resurfacing project for pothole-plagued River Street moved forward this week as the City Council approved an $8.6 million construction contract.

Mayor Andre Sayegh said the work should start in August and be completed next spring.

Paterson ended up getting a lower price on the contract after the Montana Construction Company of Lodi filed a lawsuit in April claiming its bid for the job was improperly rejected for being submitted two minutes late.

Back then, Paterson was ready to award a $9.8 million contract to Spiniello Companies of Livingston. But a judge decided Paterson needed to take new bids for the job and the council on Tuesday awarded the work to Your Way Construction of Irvington for $1.2 million less than the original price.

Paterson is using funds from the federal American Rescue Plan COVID relief grant to pay for the job.

City Council President Alex Mendez said he was looking forward to putting an end to the pavement “roller coaster” that River Street has been for years. But residents said it was too early to declare the asphalt mission accomplished.

“We will not celebrate until the work is done,” community leader Roger Grier said during Tuesday’s meeting, “because folks have been promising us River Street, River Street for at least five or six years and zip has been done.”

Sayegh — who took office as mayor in July 2018 — said his administration has been determined to resurface the crumbling street. “Previous administrations kicked the can down the road relative to River Street,” the mayor said.

River Street is one of the longest roads in Paterson, running for about a mile and a half from West Broadway in the 1st Ward, through the northern part of the 4th Ward, and across the top of the 3rd Ward before it ends at 1st Avenue.

Mendez and Councilman Luis Velez said the city needs to manage the construction to avoid creating traffic jams.

“It’s going to be a mess,” Velez said. “It has to be planned the right way.”

Council members Ruby Cotton and Lilisa Mimms expressed doubts that the $8.6 bid price will be enough to cover the whole job.

“You can see change orders coming back here,” Cotton said, predicting the construction company will ask for additional funds.

“I don’t think $8 million is enough,” said Mimms. “I don’t want them coming back for another $5 million, and $3 million after that.”

Business administrator Kathleen Long said the city would hire a construction manager to keep tabs on the River Street project.