Work Under Way on Front Street Road Project

A long-expected roadwork plan to make Front Street a safer corridor for drivers and pedestrians alike is currently under way in Red Bank.

Early Tuesday afternoon, crews were installing new drainage pipes and repaving a portion of Front Street near the intersection of Front and Broad Streets down toward Riverview Medical Center as part of an early phase of the road construction phase.

The final plan, which will cost an estimated $600,000, will extend from English Plaza to the Red Bank hospital, and include a new traffic light at Globe Court, more visible pedestrian walkways with solar-powered blinking signs, bumped out curbs, and a raised intersection at Front and Broad Streets.

The project, being undertaken by the county, was in April, 2011. No completion date has been set, though a worker on site said it's expected to take several months to complete the entire plan.

The raised intersection is perhaps the most significant part of the road plan and will not only act as a speed hump of sorts — county officials estimate that it will reduce vehicles speeds by about 5 mph on average - but will help improve visibility so drivers can recognize pedestrians walking through.

As work is being done, Red Bank Police have set up cones and detours both Monday and Tuesday, causing some minor traffic delays in the already heavily-traveled thoroughfare.