Garden State Times

Foster Avenue in Gibbsboro will be closed between Gibbsboro Road and United States Avenue for the next 9 to 12 months due to a major environmental remediation project at the site of the former Sherwin-Williams factory, commonly called the Paintworks surrounding Silver Lake. The project will begin on Aug. 30, after which the road will be closed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Sherwin-Williams Company operated a paint manufacturing facility at this site from the mid-1800s until 1977. Years of direct waste discharge into Hilliards Creek and other factors led to widespread soil, sediment, surface water, and groundwater contamination, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“This remediation work has been ongoing for several years and this project continues to correct more than a hundred years of environmental degradation,” said Commissioner Al Dyer, liaison to the Department of Public Works. “While this long-term closure will present some disruptions to the flow of traffic, it is well worth it. This project is incredibly important to the health and welfare of not only our residents but to the environment and ecosystems of our region and we will all benefit from this work.”

This project is owned and managed by Sherwin-Williams and its contractor, Vita Nuova. For questions and concerns, contact Elaine Richardson, Community Relations Sherwin-Williams Gibbsboro Project, at 856-782-4935.