By: Najla Alexander
Middlesex County officials announced that the County continues to make progress toward eliminating traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries through its Vision Zero initiative.
As part of this effort, the County and the Township of Woodbridge celebrated the completion of critical safety enhancements at the intersection of Oak Tree Road, Plymouth Drive, and Magnolia Road with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, June 5, MCPO officials say.
According to Middlesex County officials, the upgrades include a modernized traffic signal with dedicated left-turn slots, striping, video detection, Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS), ADA-compliant curb ramps and sidewalks, and approximately 1,000 feet of roadway improvement—enhancements designed to protect pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists alike.
The Oak Tree Road project is one of several key infrastructure investments tied to Middlesex County’s Vision Zero Action Plan—a nationally recognized, data-driven strategy aimed at reducing and ultimately eliminating traffic deaths and injuries, Middlesex County officials.
As part of this commitment, the County recently launched “60 to Zero,” a public awareness campaign aimed at combating distracted driving, the region's leading cause of fatal crashes, MCPO authorities stated. To learn more, take the pledge, and join the movement toward zero traffic fatalities, visit discovermiddlesex.com/VisionZero.
“Middlesex County is proud to invest in the community through infrastructure projects like this one that make a real difference in residents’ lives,” said Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios.
“The Woodbridge Township Police Department (WPD) and Engineering Division partnered with Middlesex County to install a new $1 million state-of-the-art traffic signal and audible pedestrian crossing system at one of the busiest and congested intersections in the Township – Oak Tree Road/Plymouth Drive/Magnolia Road in the Iselin section. It is important to note that the Middlesex County Board of Commissioners authorized a Cost Sharing Agreement with the Township and together our teams installed new signal equipment, mast arms and poles, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant ramps and crosswalks and revised visible/audible signage and lane markings for current and future bicycle facilities,” said Woodbridge Township Mayor John E. McCormac.
Middlesex County Commissioner Charles Kenny, Chair of the Transportation Committee, said, “Through our award-winning Vision Zero Action Plan, we’re working intersection by intersection to make a meaningful change with our primary goal of eliminating traffic-related injuries and fatalities in Middlesex County. Projects like this one move us closer to that vision.”
In addition to the Oak Tree Road intersection in Woodbridge Township, Middlesex County has recently completed traffic signal upgrades and safety improvements to other key intersections throughout the County, including in Carteret, Edison, Perth Amboy, and South Brunswick—further advancing the Vision Zero initiative across the region, Middlesex County officials said. 
To learn more about Middlesex County’s infrastructure investments and strategic initiatives, please visit middlesexcountynj.gov.
