Commission Forges Ahead with Rancocas Creek Clean-up
Joint Effort of Freeholders and Commission Prevents Creation
Burlington County Bridge Commissioners John B. Comegno II, Priscilla B. Anderson, and Troy E. Singleton reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to the Rancocas Creek clean-up as the final three phases of the project were approved at last week’s Commission meeting. A Shared Service project of the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders and Bridge Commission, the project will save taxpayers millions of dollars.
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“Last year we removed 300 tons of debris from 29 different debris fields from the first leg of the creek in Southampton---now, water in the creek is flowing quickly and efficiently,” said Chairman Comegno. “And we won’t stop until the job is done,” he added, referring to the remaining three reaches in the Lumberton-Medford-Southampton watershed. “The Bridge Commission is committed to seeing this project through all four reaches, at no cost to local municipalities.”
The entire project is expected to be completed by late Fall 2009; by then, a total of 9.3 miles of creek will have been “desnagged” and 185 debris fields cleared.
“A free-flowing creek will go a long way to avoiding the flooding that caused more than $25 million in damage to homes and businesses in the storms of 2004 and 2007,” said Vice Chairwoman Priscilla B. Anderson.
Commissioners saw firsthand the project’s significant impact to Reach 1 of the creek in a presentation from John Scillia, P.E., from Garden State Engineering, LLC, the engineering firm overseeing the project. “Before and after” photos evidenced the jams that plagued the creek before the work on Reach 1 started and the open and clear waterway that resulted after project completion.
The remaining three reaches, which total nearly 8 miles, are located in Southampton, Lumberton, and Medford:
- Reach 2 flows from the Landing Street Bridge to the bridge crossing at Eayrestown Newbolds Road in Lumberton Township; the stretch of the Rancocas is approximately 2.8 miles long.
- Reach 3 continues in a northwest direction from Eayrestown Newbolds Road to Main Street in Lumberton Township; the section of the Rancocas is about 3 miles long.
- Reach 4 is the northern most segment of what is commonly known as the Southwest Branch of the Rancocas Creek, located in Medford Township, approximately 500 feet south of the border with Lumberton Township; the portion of the creek is about 2.1 miles long.
“This is the ultimate shared services initiative---one that literally saved the day for financially strapped towns and their taxpayers, who wouldn’t be able to handle the financial and economic development impact of another flood,” said Comegno.
The Burlington County Bridge Commission manages the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol Bridges, and through its economic development and improvement authority powers, assists Burlington County municipalities in economic development and community revitalization projects and extends pooled financing options to local governments and nonprofits in Burlington County. These initiatives have resulted in a savings of approximately $13 million dollars.
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Rancocas Creek---"Before" & "After"
 Rancocas Creek --- "Before"
Rancocas Creek --- "After"
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Palmyra Cove Nature Park Teams with NJ Youth Corps
PCNP has teamed up with the New Jersey Youth Corps, a year-round, voluntary program which engages young adults in full-time community service, training, and educational activities. Students aged between 16 and 25 are working in the park twice a week to clear vegetation from Cove Trail.
We are pleased to provide community-based working experience for New Jersey Youth Corps participants while simultaneously making a more satisfying experience for PCNP visitors.
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One of the largest youth service and conservation corps in the United States, NJ Youth Corps is guided by staff who serve as mentors and role models for teams of youth who carry out a wide range of service projects. The Youth Corps mission is to restore and preserve the dignity of young adults who have been underserved, and enhance their value to society by providing a comprehensive program of academic instruction and community service that form a solid foundation upon which to build a brighter future. PCNP Hosts Annual Bird Quest May 2nd
Discover the birds of Burlington County! Celebrate International Migratory Bird Day with the annual Bird Quest program at PCNP on Saturday, May 2 from 7 AM to 12 noon. At this bird counting event, you can learn how to identify birds that live in and migrate through our county by sight, sound, behavior, and habitat. Participants group into teams for this lighthearted competition! Teachers can receive professional development credits for participation.
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