PEQUANNOCK TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Morris County) — Morris County has been awarded $9.4 million in federal funding to make safety upgrades along Newark Pompton Turnpike, including improvements at 38 intersections in Pequannock Township, county officials said.
The North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority’s Board of Trustees approved the funding at its Jan. 12, 2026 meeting for work along Newark Pompton Turnpike — county routes 504 and 660 — between Mountain Avenue and Greenwood Avenue, officials said. The project is intended to improve travel for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and motorists.
“This is a road people rely on every day, and it needs to be safe for everyone,” said Morris County Commissioner Director Stephen H. Shaw, third vice chair of the NJTPA Board of Trustees. “These upgrades will make a real difference, whether you’re walking, biking, taking transit or driving along this critical corridor.”
Planned improvements include upgrades to three traffic signals, high-visibility crosswalks, five rectangular rapid flashing beacons, four pedestrian refuge islands and curb extensions intended to shorten crossing distances, according to county officials. The project also calls for clearer bus stop areas, improved lighting, and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant curb ramps, sidewalks and driveways, consistent with recommendations from a 2024 road safety evaluation.
Newark Pompton Turnpike serves as the primary roadway through Pequannock Township and has been identified as a priority for safety improvements, officials said. The roadway ranks second in Morris County for pedestrian safety concerns on the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s 2019 Network Screening List, according to the county. Between 2017 and 2021, 186 crashes were reported along the section targeted for upgrades, including three involving pedestrians and nine involving cyclists, officials said.
County officials said pedestrian and bicycle activity increased after the Pompton Valley Rail Trail was completed in 2025.
Officials noted that the average time to reach construction authorization for federally funded projects of this scale is about 6.5 years, reflecting the planning and coordination required.
