Paterson's pothole-pocked River Street resurfacing is delayed again

PATERSON — In less than a month, the city already has fallen behind schedule on Mayor Andre Sayegh's projected time frames for the long-awaited River Street resurfacing.

“Our expectation is that work should commence in August and be completed in the spring 2025,” Sayegh said on July 18 after the City Council awarded an $8.6 million contract for the high-profile project.

But at Tuesday night’s council meeting, city officials revealed that construction now is scheduled to begin on Sept. 24 and will take as long as 14 months to complete, which would put the completion at the end of November 2025.

Sayegh’s chief of staff, Habib Kader, cited “unforeseen delays, including a legal challenge,” as the reason for the changing time frame.

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When Paterson Press noted that Sayegh issued his July 18 statement after the legal fight was resolved, Kader offered a different explanation after a reporter read to him the mayor’s statement.

“That’s the key word — ‘expectation,’” Kader said. “The mayor hoped construction would start in August. But there are so many factors in play.”

Councilwoman Lilisa Mimms said she was disturbed by the changing time frame.

“You cannot mislead the community on a project that’s so major,” Mimms said.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Councilman Luis Velez made a similar statement. “The city needs to be honest with the public,” he said regarding the changing dates for the River Street work.

Velez noted that Sayegh held a press conference at River Street in 2022 in which he recalled the mayor promising the work would be done by the end of 2024.

City must hire an engineering firm

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 First Avenue.

Officials have said driving on the pothole-ridden street feels like riding on a roller coaster.

Kader said one of the main reasons the repaving won’t start this month is the need for the city to hire an engineering firm to oversee the construction. The City Council convened an emergency meeting Tuesday to vote on a $781,000 contract for that task but ended up delaying the decision until next week.

Several council members expressed concerns about the cost for the engineering oversight of the work. But Mimms said having a construction manager is essential.

“We cannot take a risk with this type of project,” Mimms said.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson's pothole-pocked River Street resurfacing is delayed again