Morris County to receive $3M for road safety improvements

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ – Morris County will receive $3 million in federal funds for safety improvements including a roundabout, a pedestrian-activated rapid flashing beacon and high-visibility crosswalks at six intersections within Mendham Township, Mendham Borough and Dover.

“These improvements will help to create a safer environment in an area frequented by people of all ages, particularly high school students, as well as those going to the local shopping center or the nearby Post Office,” said Morris County Commissioner Stephen H. Shaw, who serves as Morris County’s representative to the NJTPA Board.

The improvements, funded though the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), will be completed as part of two separate projects:

• $1,885,000 to improve safety and overall operations at three intersections along East Main Street/Mendham Road (CR 510) from Tempe Wick Road (CR 646) to Cold Hill Road in the Borough of Mendham and Mendham Township. Improvements will include a roundabout, streetlighting upgrades, pedestrian signal upgrades, accessible curb ramps and high-visibility crosswalks. In addition, a new traffic signal will be installed at the intersection of East Main Street (CR 510) and Tempe Wick Road (CR 646). Tempe Wick Road is separated by a teardrop island but has no pedestrian features.
• $1,175,000 for improvements at three intersections along South Morris Street (CR 643) from Millbrook Avenue/Munson Avenue to Byram Avenue in Dover. Improvements will include streetlighting upgrades, accessible curb ramps and high-visibility crosswalks. Two new traffic signals with 12-inch signal heads and pedestrian countdown heads will be installed. An improved school crossing with curb extensions and a rectangular rapid flashing beacon will be installed at South Morris Street and Byram Avenue. Road geometry will be reconfigured at the intersection of South Morris Street and Millbrook Avenue/Munson Avenue.

“The South Morris Street corridor includes three intersections in need of safety improvements, all of which currently have only stop signs,” Shaw said.

South Morris Street provides a direct connection with State Route 10 in Randolph and U.S. 46 and State Route 15 in Dover, and also connects to NJ TRANSIT’s downtown Dover Train Station, which provides service along the Morris & Essex and Montclair Boonton lines.

The projects, which are two of 19 safety improvements totaling $188.3 million across the NJTPA region, were approved by the NJTPA Board of Trustees at their March 13 meeting. The funding is for two programs: the Local Safety Program and the High Risk Rural Roads Program.

These programs fund high-impact, cost-effective solutions to reduce crashes and improve safety for all travelers. More information on the programs and project factsheets is available on the NJTPA website. Funding approved for the programs doubled from the previous program cycle in 2020.

“The increases are the result of highly successful partnerships between the NJTPA and its member county and city governments to deliver vitally important projects on our local roads. This federal support helps free up local dollars, state aid and municipal aid for other priorities,” said Passaic County Commissioner John W. Bartlett, the current Chair of the NJTPA.

The NJTPA is the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for 13 northern New Jersey counties. Under federal legislation, MPOs provide a forum where local officials, public transportation providers and state agency representatives can come together and cooperatively plan to meet the region’s current and future transportation needs. It establishes the region’s eligibility to receive federal tax dollars for transportation projects.

The NJTPA Board consists of one local elected official from each of the 13 counties in the region (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren), and the cities of Newark and Jersey City.

The Board also includes a Governor’s Representative, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, the President & CEO of NJ TRANSIT, the Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and a Citizens’ Representative appointed by the Governor.