New year, more roadwork in Ocean County.

The Ocean County Freeholders have awarded a contract for upgrades and improvements to get underway this year at the intersection of Oberlin and Cedar Bridge Avenues in Lakewood Township.

The work will add dedicated left turn lanes on Oberlin and Cedar Bridge and upgrade the traffic signal at that intersection.

The project also includes pedestrian safety upgrades along with new crossings to assist the handicapped and disabled.

"We anticipate getting work underway in the New Year at the intersection of Oberlin and Cedar Bridge avenues," Ocean County Freeholder Deputy Director John P. Kelly, who serves as co-chair to the Ocean County Office of Engineering, said.

"This intersection is a high traffic volume area especially because of its proximity to the Lakewood Industrial Park," Freeholder Director Virginia E. Haines, who also serves as co-chair of the Office of Engineering, said. "It's important we provide the necessary improvements so our motorists and pedestrians have a safer driving and walking experience."

A timeline for the project, which is contingent on the NJ DOT approval, is being developed.

The Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders awarded a contract to Jersey Construction Inc., in the amount of $1,156,846.00 during the Board's December 19 meeting.

Ocean County will received federal funding for nearly 100 percent of the project and construction inspection.

This project draws a similar line to the one proposed at this time in 2018 along Cedar Bridge Avenue where Ocean County received $1.6-million in federal grants to begin a road safety project along five intersections in Lakewood.

The money was planned to be used to install a median with pedestrian islands and bike shoulders as well as traffic signal upgrades and left-turn lanes on Cedar Bridge Avenue at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Vine Avenue.

Freeholder Kelly told WOBM News at the time that even though safety upgrades would be made along the Cedar Bridge Avenue area, the onus remained on pedestrians and drivers to keep things safe.

"There's a responsibility on all of us to driver our vehicles safely, to follow the laws and the rules, to be alert, to not talk on your cellphone or be distracted," Kelly said.

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