Borough Still Making Changes to Turf Fields Plan

Contractors will have to wait a little while longer to pick up the bid literature for Madison's artificial turf fields project.

Borough designers continue to make changes to plans for construction of the fields, to be constructed in an area known as the Pit behind .

Bids for the $3.5-million project likely won't go out for at least another week, according to Codey.

But before that happens, borough officials are looking forward to April 6, when Morris County announces the latest round of Green Acres grants. Madison has applied for a $500,000 grant to help pay for the project's land purchase, according to borough administrator Ray Codey.

The latest design change shifts the location of electrical transformer equipment away from an area to be used by spectators. The previous location included a wall topped by a fence, creating a potential climbing hazard.

Planners have already made other changes to the project—the first phase of development of the 49 Acres parcel annexed from Florham Park—including shifting the location of a parking lot to clear a stand of pin oak trees, and adding a rain garden.

Opponents have criticized other elements of the project, from stormwater runoff to materials used in the artificial turf.

Codey said analysis has shown that the site's aquifer is 100 feet beneath the surface—too far to be reached by runoff.

Residents also expressed concerns about infill, material used to soften impacts on the artifical turf, fearing injuries or excessive heat build-up.

Codey said that the high school's football field utilizes crumbled material from recycled tires for infill, and that there has been no excessive injuries or cases of heat prostration as a result.

The borough may also opt for a combination of sand and thermo plastic elastomer, or TPE, an inert polyethylene-based polymer. Codey cautioned, however, that there is no long-term data on the effects of TPE.