At the Nov. 7 Township Committee meeting, representatives from the Monmouth County Engineer’s office presented plans for the intersection.
by Jane Meggitt, Special Writer
UPPER FREEHOLD — While there won’t be a traffic light installed at the intersection of Ellisdale, Old York (County Route 28) and New roads, the county hopes to make improvements to this intersection, located in Upper Freehold Township and Allentown Borough.
At the Nov. 7 Township Committee meeting, representatives from the Monmouth County Engineer’s office presented plans for the intersection.
Daria Jakimowska, the county’s chief engineer for traffic design, described the intersection as bordering Byron Johnson Park in its southeast portion and the Mark Harbourt Soccer Complex in the northwest portion, with Allentown High School and the Newell Elementary School located on a nearby campus.
The Stone Bridge Middle School is less than a mile away on Route 524. Each of the three roads involved in the intersection are one lane in each direction and 24 feet wide, with each lane consisting of 12 feet, according to Ms. Jakimowska.
The intersection is controlled by stop signs, with no sidewalks or crosswalks. The area contains a lot of vegetation impacting sight distance and utility poles close to the traveling lanes, she said, further noting currently there is a small radius at the intersection for the turning of school buses and trucks.
The presentation included a history of crashes at the intersection from 2009 to date in 2013. All but two of the 14 crashes during the time period involved right angle collisions, with the majority occurring at night, dusk or dawn.
While the township’s governing body had sought to place a light at the intersection, Ms. Jakimowska said it did not meet the requirements for a traffic signal under state law.
Instead, she proposed a minor alignment of side street approaches, along with upgraded signage, striping, milling and overlay of the roads.
In addition, under the county proposal, the curb radius would be increased for buses, with utility poles and landscaping removed to improve the sight triangle. She said there would not be any widening for additional lanes.
County Engineer Joseph Ettore said his office needed resolutions of support for the project from both the township and borough.
In a best-case scenario, the design for the improvements could be completed by March, with advertisements for construction going out in April, he said.
Mr. Ettore also said this project should be completed before the county starts working on the major Sharon Station Road reconstruction in the township.