Safety Improvements Slated for River Road

A mile-long segment of River Road in Hillsborough will be getting safety upgrades after funding for the project was approved by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority Board of Trustees on Monday.

The announcement came just one day before a one-car accident took place on the road in which the vehicle flipped and was badly damaged.

Improvements are set to include the application of anti-skid surface treatment, striping, rumble strips, and angled road edges that make it easier for vehicles to recover if they drift off the roadway.

Painted markings on the road will also be added to provide additional visual cues to drivers to reduce their speed ahead of curves.

The $300,000 for the project will come from a grant through the NJTPA's High Risk Rural Roads Program, which provides federal funds to counties for high-impact safety improvements that are considered relative "quick-fix" in nature and are ready for construction, according to a release from the NJTPA. 

This is now the second road in Hillsborough to receive the funding, as $350,000 was approved for New Center Road improvements last year.

“This project represents another step in our county’s efforts to make the roads safer for visitors and residents in the area of Duke Farms,” said Somerset County Freeholder and NJTPA Secretary Peter S. Palmer. “These are relatively simple improvements that should go a long way in reducing speeding, skidding and off-road crashes on River Road. This program clearly demonstrates how the NJTPA puts federal funds to work on key local projects.”

In total, the NJTPA will allocate approximately $980,000 for the high-risk road projects during fiscal year 2013.