Intersection
improvement
project begins
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer
MANALAPAN — Work on a project that will improve the intersection of Tennent and Taylors Mills roads has started.
"Basically, it’s an intersection improvement," said Monmouth County Principal Engineer Kevin Nugent. "We’re going to be upgrading the signal that’s there. Today it’s a span wire signal that’s there."
Nugent said the span wire signal, or traffic signal that hangs from a wire, will be replaced with new signals at the intersection.
"We’re going to be putting in all new traffic signal equipment and some improvements," Nugent said, adding that in addition to the new traffic lights there will be upgrades to the turning movements.
"We’re widening out, so we’ll have right turns off of Taylors Mills Road [using] a designated right turn lane," he said.
Nugent said a small portion of the southwest corner has been taken over by the county from the Carchesio farm for the purpose of completing the improvements.
The engineer said improvements will also occur on the northeast corner of the intersection where there is a large drainage ditch. That ditch can be a hazard to vehicles that go too far off the shoulder of the road, he noted.
The plan is to add large pipes to the ditch for drainage and then fill in the remaining portion of the ditch.
Under the terms of the contract awarded by the county, it is expected that the project will take between three and four months to complete.
"We do have to get some utility poles relocated out there and we hope everything works well with that," Nugent said.
Regarding a planned improvement project at the intersection of Tennent Road and Route 522 (Freehold-Englishtown Road), Nugent said the design is pretty much complete.
"We’re in the process of trying to acquire any of the property that is needed," he said.
Nugent said the Tennent Road-Route 522 project will be started within the year, "hopefully sooner."