The Ocean County Engineering Department has released an informational video to inform the public of their plans to use a $1.6 million federal grant for major vehicular and traffic safety improvements along a section of Cedar Bridge Avenue, and public comments are now welcome.

Cedar Bridge Avenue is the most crash prone road in Lakewood, and 2 of its intersections are ranked first and second on the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority's (NJTPA) list of high-crash intersections in the County. Due to its numerous intersecting roads in the MLK / Arlington area, it is the most dangerous roadway for pedestrians. In 2017, after 3 fatal crashes in this section of the road, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office cited the roadway as "one of the area’s most dangerous".

In early 2018, in response to the 3 fatal crashes the year prior, Ocean County officials first announced that they secured a $1.6 million federal grant from NJTPA to upgrade the section of Cedar Bridge Avenue between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Vine Avenue with installation of a median with pedestrian refuge islands at both intersections, bicycle compatible shoulders along the corridor, a new traffic signal and road widening at Vine Avenue, as well dedicated left-turn lanes on Cedar Bridge Avenue at MLK Drive, and a new dedicated left-turn lane on Cedar Bridge Avenue at Arlington Avenue.

Once the median is installed, pedestrians will only be able to cross the road at dedicated crosswalks.

To further increase safety for all vehicles, the existing intersections at Ashley Avenue and Melville Avenue will be reduced to right in / right out only.

This grant is part of the NJTPA's Local Safety Program, which provides federal funds for cost-effective solutions that can make an immediate impact on their target areas.

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. The agency establishes the region's eligibility to receive federal tax dollars for transportation projects.

Since first securing the grant in 2018, the Ocean County Engineering Department has been hard at work designing the project and securing various permits which are required to maintain eligible for the federal grant.

This task is finally coming to completion and the project will go out to bid as soon it receives the final "go-ahead" from NJTPA and NJDOT.

As part of securing the federal grant, the county is required to hold a public information meeting to inform local residents, officials, businesses and the general public about the proposed project.

This meeting is now available virtually with a presentation available via the project website (https://www.co.ocean.nj.us/OC/Engineering/frmCedarBridgeAveSafety.aspx) and it can be viewed anytime at your convenience.

Members of the public may watch the presentation and then submit comments online until this Friday, July 29.

This Ocean County project is being coordinated with Lakewood Township's project to pave Vine Avenue from Pine Street to Cedar Bridge Avenue which recently got underway. Once both projects are complete, there will be right and left turning lanes from Vine Avenue onto Cedar Bridge Avenue and a traffic signal at the intersection.