FREEHOLD – Monmouth County is moving forward with a project that will improve an intersection in Freehold Borough that has been a source of traffic concerns.
Representatives of the county appeared before the borough’s Planning Board on June 27 for a courtesy review of a project at the intersection of Jackson Street/Jackson Terrace and East Main Street (Route 537). Attorney Mark Aikins presented the application.
Route 537 is a county road and improvements at the location are the county’s responsibility. Board members reviewed the plans, but did not have jurisdiction to approve or deny the project, which has been planned by the county for almost a decade.
Councilman George Schnurr, who is the Borough Council’s liaison to the Planning Board, said improvements will include the installation of a traffic signal, 690 feet of new curbing, utility pole replacements by Jersey Central Power and Light and Verizon, drainage improvements, the installation of Americans with Disabilities Act ramps at the corners, sidewalk replacement and the relocation of an existing access driveway that serves several homes on Jackson Street.
The improvements will also include the replacement of existing crosswalk signs at the Henry Hudson Trail crossing on Route 537 with new rapid flashing beacons on both sides of the county road, according to Schnurr.
Engineer Robert Strang-Wolf, representing the county, said county officials intend to seek bids for the project before the end of the summer.
Board members spoke favorably of the project and although they could not formally approve it, they had a resolution drafted to demonstrate their support for the planned improvements.
“Freehold Borough asked for the establishment of a traffic signal at this intersection as a necessary public safety measure,” Schnurr said. “This is one of the worst intersections in the borough. I would like to thank Joseph Ettore, Monmouth County engineer, Robert Strang-Wolf, Monmouth County engineer, and Freeholder Director Thomas Arnone for their help with this project which has been a number of years in the making.”