Project Information

BACKGROUND

The North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), subregions (the 13 counties and two major cities within the NJTPA region), and other state and local agencies, are committed to improving the safety and reliability of the region’s transportation infrastructure. Through its Local Safety Program (LSP), the NJTPA funds safety improvements on county and local roadways in urban, suburban, and rural communities. The NJTPA has also developed a Local Safety Engineering Assistance Program (LSEAP) to provide professional services to advance the design of safety improvements.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The City of Newark County has received federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds for the design and construction of safety improvements at 11 intersections along a 0.9 mile portion of Bergen Street from Madison Avenue to 14th Avene. 

The intersections in the project area currently warrant safety enhancements due to the presence of outdated traffic signals, poles, mast arms, and related infrastructure, curb ramps that do not all meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards, faded crosswalks and pavement markings, as well as a lack of pedestrian signal heads and push buttons at many locations. Planning, evaluation, and design work commenced in September 2022 and the preliminary design has been completed. 

Proposed improvements include:

• Curb extensions to shorten pedestrian crossing distances, reduce pedestrian exposure at crossings, and mitigate vehicular travel speeds. 

• High visibility crosswalks and roadway lighting improvement to increase the visibility of pedestrians. 

• Sidewalk improvements to remove tripping hazards at/near intersections and new ADA-compliant curb ramps with detectable warning surfaces, pedestrian push buttons, and pedestrian countdown timers. 

• At select intersections, new traffic signals poles, foundations, mast arms, controller cabinets, and 12-inch LED signal heads (lenses) with reflective backplates to aid visibility. 

• Upgrades to traffic signal timing and phasing to improve traffic flow and overall operational safety and efficiency. 

• Vehicle detection technology to automatically adjust signaling timing. 

• Installation and replacement of regulatory, warning, and pedestrian signs. 

• Roadway resurfacing throughout the project limits.

• Bicycle lanes

The City of Newark and the NJTPA are currently working with Michael Baker International, Inc. to advance the design of the safety improvements through the Local Safety Engineering Assistance Program. 

ANTICIPATED PROJECT SCHEDULE

• Public Information Center (PIC) April 2024

• Complete Preliminary Design Spring 2024

• Environmental Document Approval Summer 2024

• Begin Final Design Fall 2024

• Federal Authorization to Construct 2025-2026

• Begin Construction 2026+

• Construction Substantially Completed 2027+