JACKSON TOWNSHIP, N.J. — The Jackson Council hosted county officials at Tuesday night’s council meeting to update residents about a series of ongoign projects to improve roadway, traffic, and pedestrian safety across the township.

A series of infrastructure improvements is either completed, underway, or planned across Jackson Township and surrounding municipalities, according to the report presented by Township Commissioner Frank Sadeghi and Ocean County Engineer Mark F. Jehnke.

Commissioner Sadeghi credited the members of the Jackson Township Council for their persistence on many projects and issues that affect quality of life across the community.

Council President Jennifer Kuhn thanked the county officials for hosting the presentation and for their continued focus on Jackson.

“In decades past, Jackson didn’t exactly receive the attention we deserved from the county when it came to roadway upgrades, improvements, and responding to our needs,” said Council Vice President Mordechai Burnstein. “With this new council’s relationship to all of the newly elected county commisioners, we’re finally seeing projects coming along at a good pace, addressing all of our concerns and creating a long term plan for our town that we just never had in the past.”

Councilwoman Kuhn said Commissioner Sadeghi has been instrumental in taking the lead when it comes to making sure Jackson gets its fair share of county roadway and engineering improvements.

“Projects that have been on the table for years, sometimes decades, are finally getting done,” she said. “The county has been responsive to all of our requests and we’d like to thank Commissioner Sadeghi and County Engineer Jehnke for their time tonight and for their committment to Jackson.”

Recent work includes major resurfacing, stormwater upgrades, and traffic safety enhancements. Among the completed projects is the installation of a new traffic signal at the intersection of County Route 526 (West County Line Road) and Brookwood Parkway, aimed at improving flow and safety in a high-traffic area. Additionally, County Route 539 (Pinehurst Road) was reconstructed and resurfaced from Horicon Avenue to Route 528. These efforts were part of a broader 2024 resurfacing initiative spanning Jackson, Manchester, and Plumsted.

Another major undertaking, involved the reconstruction and resurfacing of more than five miles of key roadways across Jackson, Lakewood, and Plumsted. This included upgrades to Route 527 (Cedar Swamp Road) between Bennetts Mills and Commodore, and Route 571 (Cassville Road) from Route 528 to the Francis Mills Bridge.

Stormwater management has also been a focus, with multiple contracts completed or nearing completion. Recent projects addressed drainage and water management systems along White Road and Cross Street, Harmony Road and Hyson Road, Leesville Road, and South Cooks Bridge Road.

Active construction efforts include several road work contracts.

Crews are currently working along a two-mile stretch of West Veterans Highway between Cassville Road and East Veterans Highway/Cedar Swamp Road. Additional resurfacing project planning is underway along South New Prospect Road, Burke Road, and West Veterans Highway between Stump Tavern Road and Cassville Road, covering over eight miles in total.

Looking ahead, several new projects are scheduled to begin in the coming months. Stormwater Management Contract 2024A will include improvements with work focused on South New Prospect Road. A preconstruction meeting was held on July 16 for a new traffic signal at the intersection of County Route 9 (West Commodore Boulevard) and County Route 26 (Diamond Road), and additional preconstruction meetings are scheduled for July 23 for both the rehabilitation of the Farmingdale Road culvert and other regional infrastructure upgrades.

New resurfacing work was awarded on June 18, will target East Veterans Highway and North Hope Chapel Road. Also out to bid as of July 23 is a planned roundabout project at the intersection of New Central Avenue (CR 31) and North Hope Chapel Road (CR 639), marking another step in the township’s efforts to modernize traffic flow and safety.

Commissioner Sadeghi said the combined infrastructure initiatives reflect a long-term commitment to improving road conditions, managing stormwater systems, and enhancing transportation networks across Jackson Township and also across the county.