New Jersey municipalities that want a traffic signal installed on a state road must be prepared to cover a quarter of the cost, according to Kevin Israel, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.

red light camera in Pohatcong, NJ
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Berkeley Township is familiar with the process as officials continue pressing for a pedestrian crossing light at the intersection of Route 9 and Frederick Drive, a busy area where a woman was struck and killed by a vehicle earlier this month.

Israel explained the New Jersey Department of Transportation conforms to rules outlined in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Controlled Devices (MUTCD).

"The town has to submit a request to the department for a signal study, along with the commitment to cover 25 percent of the associated electrical construction costs," said Israel.

Once the request is received, the NJDOT then performs a signal study to determine if a new signal is warranted, according to Israel.

"This study considers a number of factors such as vehicular and pedestrian volumes, along with crash data," Israel said.

If the study concludes that a signal is needed, then the design installation and a construction estimate are completed, according to Israel. The town is then billed 25 percent of that estimate.

Israel noted that while the NJDOT looks to expedite anything that involves safety, there is no set time on signal studies.

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