Trenton’s paving 59 streets, plus the weed-infested grass alley a resident has fought for a decade to have blacktopped

Sage Alley Trenton

Trenton resident John Swem has been after Trenton City Hall to pave Sage Alley behind his home for years. Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance MediaMichael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media

On Monday, Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora announced the city was applying a $1.1 million award from the state’s Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) to the city’s streets, literally, by paving 59 of them this year.

And he did what politicians sometimes do with this type of news: he donned a hard hat and climbed aboard a paver with city public works officials, and posed for pictures.

“Revitalizing our roads is crucial to improving quality of life for our residents,” the mayor said in a statement. “We have big plans for road repairs this year, and Trenton is starting to get the level of funding for these projects it deserves.”

(The city’s prior administration failed to apply for TTF funds last fiscal year.)

Meanwhile, in Trenton’s East Ward, John Swem is still waiting for Sage Alley behind his Emmet Avenue home to be cleaned and paved, a public works job he’s been trying to get done since 2008 - when the city first pledged to finally pave the alley.

Sage Alley was not on Gusciora’s list of 59 streets.

But it is now, Gusciora’s spokesman said late Wednesday.

Make that 60 streets.

The move came after NJ Advance Media reminded the mayor’s office of Swem’s patient, peaceful fight to have the city make good on its word to pave it.

Paving it - it’s just a block - would improve the lives of the neighborhood, Swem said before learning it made the list.

“You’re making all these promises to make the city look good and feel good, so how about our neighborhood? How about making it more presentable?” Swem asked. “It’s been 11 years, and we’re still waiting. Can we just get it done and paved?”

Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora paves a street

Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora rides on a street paver at an April 15, 2019 announcement that the city will pave 59 streets this year. (City Hall photo)

Last summer, NJ Advance Media met Swem in the alley, and he showed off how disgusting it can get in the summer: it was un-passable, overgrown, buzzing with insects and littered with trash and debris. Years ago, residents kept it trimmed, but not anymore, except Swem. He believes it’s one of the last remaining grass alleys in the city.

So Swem started writing to city leaders to ask if they could pave the alley. He still has a 2008 letter from then public works director and future mayor Eric Jackson, who wrote: “Please assure him that we will pave that alley during the 2008 paving season."

It did not happen, and Swem wrote and visited City Hall at various times over the years.

No paving equipment ever clamored behind Swem’s home in the Villa Park neighborhood.

What gave Swem some hope last summer was that over the years, he had an ally in his quest: Gusciora, then a state assemblyman, who wrote to Trenton officials on Swem’s behalf, urging they pave Sage Alley.

Now that he’s mayor, Swem wants Gusciora to see the alley and get done what the city said it would over 10 years now.

The mayor’s office is noncommittal on a paving date for Sage Alley, but he might be out there to see it.

“I hope to have Sage Alley paved and take a tour of the alley in the near future,” Gusciora said. "Unfortunately, Trenton didn’t receive any transportation dollars from the State last year, and we are frankly behind on the upkeep of our streets. We prioritize roads in most need of repaving that impact the most people.”

Swem will be waiting.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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