At the Nov. 18 Council meeting, Mayor Keith Kazmark announced that Woodland Park was awarded a N.J. Department of Transportation municipal aid grant of $690,600 for Phase 8 of the McBride Ave. Streetscape Project, which will cover work from Whippany Avenue to Lackawanna Avenue.

"This is the largest municipal aid grant ever received by the Borough from the NJDOT," Mayor Kazmark noted, adding that improvements along the Kearfott property will be funded by the STRO Company, which will be redeveloping the property in 2021.

Work on Phase 7, which is will run from Dowling Parkway to Whippany Avenue, is expected to break ground in the spring and officials hope Phase 8 will be done simultaneously. These two phases will complete the project.

The streetscape project began in March 2017 and, when complete, improvements will have been made along the entire stretch of road in town.  Work has been completely funded through a series of State and County grants.

The goal of the streetscape project is to make the thoroughfare safer, smoother, more business friendly and pedestrian friendly. Improvements include Americans With Disabilities Act compliant barrier-free curb ramps and detectable warning surfaces, decorative brick pavers, decorative lighting, new street signs, new driveway aprons, trash and recycling receptacles and planters.