UPDATED: Galloway Mayor Criticizes NJDOT Progress on White Horse Pike and Pomona Road Project

Galloway Township Mayor Don Purdy calls the area in which the White Horse Pike/Pomona Redevelopment Project is taking place a “safety issue,” and expects to see crews working on it by the end of the week.

“They said within 10 days, they would have a full crew out there,” Purdy said during the council meeting on Tuesday night, March 27. “Thursday is 10 days.”

The “they” Purdy is referring to the New Jersey Department of Transportation, and the 10 days stretches back to when he and Port Republic Mayor Gary Giberson walked into the NJDOT’s Galloway office, located next to the Galloway Diner along the White Horse Pike.

Purdy said he asked when the job would be finished, and he was told it would be complete by September.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation maintains that September has always been the targeted completion date for this project.

"It should be noted that the substantial completion date for this project was always set for September of this year and that we remain on that schedule," NJDOT Press Officer Timothy Greely stated in an email to Galloway Patch. "  This construction schedule information was provided to the township and their engineers during design and prior to the start of construction.  NJDOT has consistently pointed to this fall for the completion of this project."

“September is not acceptable,” Purdy said. “The fatalities in this two-mile stretch are among the highest in the state. There’s a lot of confusion for drivers. The lines have been erased and repaved too many times.”

Purdy said he has contacted two senators about the situation, and the next phone call would be made to the governor’s office. He said he was told full crews would be out working on the project within 10 days.

“This is a publicly-funded job and nothing is going on,” Purdy said. “If this was a private job, people would be fired.”

The project commenced at the beginning of 2011, and included the recently completed intersection to install a left turn at the intersection of the two roads. Purdy said infrastructure is about 75 percent complete, but that the state needs to step up the process to get the project completed.

The businesses in the strip mall along the White Horse Pike in that area are struggling because of cones that are lined up and down the area, Purdy said.

“People don’t know where they’re supposed to go (to enter and exit the parking lot),” Purdy said. “Those businesses are struggling.”