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Safety Upgrades Coming To County Roads
OCEAN COUNTY - Three new traffic signals and more than 20 miles of raised and plowable pavement reflectors will improve safety on Ocean County's roads in the second half of 2007.
The Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders will be seeking bids on two safety related contracts this spring.
The first will allocate an estimated $150,000 to $200,000 for reflectors. The reflective devices are installed along the yellow center line on many of the county's busier roadways.
"They provide much better visibility at night, especially in the rain when the center line is much harder to see," said Freeholder John P. Kelly.
The county last installed new reflectors in 2005.
"We look at our roads with higher traffic volumes and faster speeds first," Kelly, who is also liaison to the Ocean County Engineer's Office, said. "We do prioritize and install the reflectors in areas where they will be the most effective."
The installation should be completed by the fall, he said.
The freeholders will also seek bids on two new traffic signals in Toms River and an upgraded signal in Jackson Township.
A new signal will be installed at Fischer Boulevard and Shore Boulevard in Toms River Township.
A new light will go up at Oak Ridge Parkway and Route 527 in Toms River, near Winding River Park.
Freeholder James F. Lacey said recommendations for new traffic signals usually come from local police departments.
"We're very conscious of safety on our county roads," said Lacey, who is liaison to the Ocean County Road Department. "We work very closely with our municipalities and local traffic safety officials to identify roads and intersections that can be improved."
The third signal will be an upgrade of an existing traffic light at Manhattan Street and South Cooks Bridge Road in Jackson Township.
All three signals should be operational by the end of the year, Lacey said.
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