EDISON — An intersection in Edison that has concerned residents and officials for years may soon be made safer through the installation of a traffic signal.
At its April 24 meeting, the Edison Township Council introduced an ordinance to conduct necessary studies of properties to perform road improvements and signalize the intersection of the heavily traveled Oak Tree Road and Woodland Avenue.
“It’s an intersection that has been in the spotlight for a while,” Management Specialist Bill Stephens said. “It’s a tough intersection.”
The ordinance would also give a green light to negotiations to secure the necessary easements and parcels. If those discussions fail, the move would enable Edison officials to “institute condemnation proceedings” to acquire the properties, according to the ordinance.
Sections of land on three parcels that belong to the Edison Valley Playhouse are required to upgrade the crossing, Stephens said. The municipality also needs to obtain four temporary easements to complete the project, according to the ordinance.
“We’re going to have to do a taking of land to make that safe,” Stephens said. “Our engineer feels that there is not going to be any resistance.”
The playhouse, at 2196 Oak Tree Road, is a former church that has limited space for parking, Stephens said. He said the township’s effort to obtain a chunk of the site could motivate playhouse officials to search for a new building.
The upgrade of the T-shaped intersection would likely be completed by 2014 if the process stays on schedule, Stephens said.
The council is scheduled to consider the ordinance for adoption at 7 p.m. tonight, May 8, at the Edison Municipal Complex.