JACKSON TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Jackson Township’s effort to improve roadway safety and neighborhood visibility has resulted in the repair of more than 60 malfunctioning street lights while laying the groundwork for one of the community’s largest expansions of public lighting in recent years.
As the population of Jackson grows toward its anticipated 200,000 mark, the need to improve lighting on once quiet rural roads turned city streets is being fulfilled by the township
Township engineering records from 2025 through early 2026 show a two-track approach to street lighting: a streamlined repair program that restored existing lights within weeks of being reported and a long-term expansion plan requiring engineering studies, traffic safety reviews, utility approvals and construction by Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L).
Mayor Jen L. Kuhn said the Township launched its “Lights Out” Initiative in 2025 to make it easier for residents to report street light outages while improving accountability between the Township and the electric utility responsible for maintaining most of the lighting infrastructure.
“One of my priorities as Mayor has been to make local government more transparent, more responsive, and easier for residents to work with,” Jen Kuhn said.
Residents now report outages by emailing LightsOut@JacksonTwpNJ.net, providing the pole number and location. The reports are reviewed by the Township Engineer, entered into a centralized tracking spreadsheet and forwarded directly to JCP&L, allowing Township officials to monitor repairs from the initial complaint through completion.
More than 60 repairs completed across Jackson
The Township’s repair records show the “Lights Out” program quickly became one of the municipality’s most active public works initiatives.
Engineering logs document more than 60 repaired street lights during 2025, with nearly every reported outage marked as completed after work orders were issued by JCP&L.
Repairs addressed a wide variety of issues, including burned-out fixtures, flickering lamps, intermittent electrical failures, dim lighting and complete outages.
The work extended across neighborhoods and major roadways throughout Jackson Township, including:
- East Veterans Highway
- Brewers Bridge Road
- Bennetts Mills Road
- Diamond Road
- Bittersweet Drive
- Sugar Maple Court
- Merion Lane
- Feather Lane
- Highview Court
- Ambassador Way
- Brentwood Drive
- Mulberry Court
- Riccis Drive
Those repairs also covered numerous additional residential streets identified through resident complaints and Township inspections.
Township records indicate repairs were generally completed much faster than new construction projects.
Early reports submitted in January were often repaired within approximately 10 days. After the centralized tracking system became fully operational later in the year, the process became increasingly consistent.
Most repair requests followed the same sequence:
- Resident reports outage.
- Township Engineer reviews and submits information.
- JCP&L creates a work order within several days.
- Repairs are typically completed within one to three weeks.
Many outages reported during November were repaired before the end of the month, while several December requests were completed within a week.
New lighting projects require lengthy approval process
While repairs moved relatively quickly, the Township’s largest challenge involved installing entirely new street lights.
Engineering records show approximately 36 new or upgraded street lights were formally requested, designed or submitted during 2025, with additional projects carrying into 2026.
Unlike repairs, new installations require multiple layers of review before construction can begin.
Each proposed light typically undergoes engineering analysis, police traffic safety evaluations, utility design work and final approval by JCP&L before poles, wiring and fixtures can be installed.
As a result, many projects remained under review or awaiting construction despite being initiated months earlier.
The Township identified several corridors where residents, engineers and public officials determined additional lighting could improve nighttime visibility.
Among the locations receiving engineering attention were:
- Bowman Road
- County Line Road
- Cassville Road
- Aldrich Road
- Bethel Church Road
- Perrineville Road
- Cobain Road
- Green Valley Road
- Diamond Road
Several of those roadways continued moving through engineering review during early 2026.
Elm Street LED conversion highlights resident concerns
One of the Township’s most significant lighting projects centered on Elm Street, where residents complained that recently installed LED fixtures produced excessive glare into nearby homes.
The project involved 13 street lights equipped with 90-watt LED fixtures.
After evaluating the complaints, Township engineers recommended replacing every fixture with lower-output 30-watt LED lights operating at 3000 Kelvin, reducing brightness while maintaining roadway illumination.
The conversion request was submitted to JCP&L on Sept. 30, 2025, and utility work orders were created on Nov. 18.
At the time reflected in Township records, the replacements remained pending.
Grand Boulevard expansion adds six new street lights
Another major initiative focused on Grand Boulevard, where lighting analyses determined additional illumination was needed on the once sleepy road that is expecting a major private high school project, in addition the the sprawling Royal Grove development and new religious facilities.
The proposal called for:
- Six new fiberglass utility poles.
- Three 30-watt LED fixtures.
- Three 50-watt LED fixtures.
The Township forwarded the project to JCP&L near the end of 2025 for engineering and construction.
Engineering reviews continue into 2026
Street lighting activity continued into 2026 as Township engineers evaluated additional locations for either repairs or new installations.
Among the corridors receiving inspections were:
- Diamond Road
- Claridge Drive
- Hamilton Road
- Hope Chapel Road
- Burke Road
- Cobain Road
Some inspections resulted in repair requests under the Lights Out program, while others required further lighting analyses before recommendations for new installations could be finalized.
Mayor says centralized tracking improves accountability
Although Jackson Township does not own or maintain most street lights, officials say the centralized reporting system has strengthened communication with JCP&L while giving residents a single point of contact.
Rather than individual complaints being submitted separately, every reported outage is entered into one tracking system that allows Township officials to monitor repair progress and follow up when necessary.
“While the Township does not own or maintain most streetlights, we do have a responsibility to advocate for our residents,” Kuhn said. “The ‘Lights Out’ Initiative allows us to do exactly that by creating a streamlined reporting process and holding our utility partners accountable for timely repairs.”
The mayor encouraged residents to continue reporting outages by emailing the pole number and location whenever a malfunctioning street light is observed.
“Working together, we can help keep our neighborhoods safer, improve visibility for motorists and pedestrians, and ensure our streets remain well lit,” Reina said.
Why it matters
The Township’s records illustrate the difference between maintaining existing infrastructure and expanding it.
Repairing broken lights has become a relatively efficient process, with more than 60 existing street lights restored during 2025 and average turnaround times of one to three weeks after reports were submitted.
Installing new lighting, however, remains a much longer undertaking. By the end of 2025, Jackson had advanced plans for approximately 36 new or upgraded street lights, including major projects on Elm Street and Grand Boulevard, but many remained in various stages of engineering review, utility approval and construction heading into 2026.
As those projects move forward, Township officials say the combination of faster repairs and expanded street lighting is intended to improve nighttime visibility, traffic safety and neighborhood quality of life throughout Jackson Township.
