Essex County Will Get $42M To Fix Dozens Of Crash-Prone Intersections

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Essex County will be receiving $41.9 million in grants to improve safety at 36 of the most crash-prone intersections in the region, officials announced Friday.

According to county administrators, work will be taking place in Belleville, Caldwell, East Orange, Irvington, Livingston, Newark, Verona and West Caldwell.

The projects will make safety upgrades along “key corridors” in the region, including Bloomfield Avenue, John F. Kennedy Parkway and South Livingston Avenue, South Orange Avenue, and Sanford Street and Avenue.

The intersections included in these projects are among the highest-priority locations for safety improvements in Essex County on the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s 2023 Network Screening List, officials said.

Between 2017 and 2021, the intersections experienced a combined 2,016 crashes – including two fatalities, 13 suspected serious injuries, and 59 pedestrian-involved crashes.

Here’s what to know about the upcoming work, officials said:

“Essex County is advancing two projects: one focused on 17 intersections north of I-280, and a second focused on 19 intersections south of I-280. Together, the projects include installing three new traffic signals and upgrading 34 existing signals. Additional improvements include leading pedestrian intervals and all-pedestrian phases, realigned high-visibility crosswalks, pedestrian refuge islands at select locations, and upgraded signs and pavement markings to improve safety and traffic operations.”

According to the county, the total project cost of $41.9 million includes $20.4 million for the area north of I-280, and $21.5 million for the area south of I-280. The money covers construction and inspection costs. The project is funded through the FY 2026 Subregional Safety Improvement Program.

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. joined with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority to announce the upcoming traffic work.

“People know which intersections feel unsafe, because they deal with them every day,” said DiVincenzo, who also serves as an NJTPA board member.

“This funding lets us fix those trouble spots, improve crossings and signals, and make it easier and safer for residents to get where they need to go,” he added.

The upgrades may not cross the finish line for a while, officials cautioned.

“The average time to reach construction authorization for federally funded projects of this scale is approximately 6.5 years, reflecting the planning required to deliver lasting safety improvements,” county spokespeople said.

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