County Poised To Upgrade Traffic Lights On Long Beach Township

The first phase of multi-year upgrade to new traffic signals at 23 intersections in Long Beach Township is slated to get underway by spring, according to the Ocean County Public Information Office.

The Board of Freeholders is expected to approve advertising for the first phase of the project at the Feb. 3 board meeting.

“This is a large project and will be done in phases so as not to interrupt the summer tourism season on Long Beach Island,” said Freeholder John P. Kelly. “When this is completed we will have improved driver and pedestrian safety at 23 intersections.”

The county worked closely with Long Beach Township officials on the project, he said.

“The township was able to secure a federal grant for improvements for pedestrian safety and they are sharing the cost with the county for this work,” he said. “We are happy to work in cooperation with the island towns to make these public safety improvements.”

The first phase of the project includes traffic signal upgrades at the intersections of Long Beach Boulevard at 26th Street, 64th Street and 105th Street.

“These will be completed before the start of the summer season,” Kelly said.

The existing wire span-supported traffic signals will be changed to conventional solid mast arm signals. Four more intersections will also receive signals.

The project includes Long Beach Township south of the Causeway to Beach Haven.

Ocean County has already completed traffic signal improvements in many of the towns north of the Causeway.

“This project really focuses on pedestrian safety,” Kelly said. “These signals will include count down heads and push buttons to assist pedestrians in getting safely across Long Beach Boulevard.”

The new traffic signals also have larger lenses, and meet all of today’s highway safety standards.

The Board of Freeholders is scheduled to go out to bid for two additional contracts later this year as part of this project.