County installing LED signals at Belleville intersection.

New traffic signals will grace the intersection of Belleville and Franklin avenues, compliments of Essex County. Construction is expected to start this week and last through August.


The intersection of Belleville and Franklin Led light avenues is part of an Essex County road construction project. Existing traffic signals will be replaced with more modern ones which include Light Emitting Diode lenses and cameras, according to the county, which maintains both roads.

"[LED] bulbs use about 90 percent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, last longer and are more visible in inclement weather," a press release states. The signals will also include an eight-hour battery backup to be used in the event of an electrical outage.

The cameras - like those on traffic signals at Union Avenue and Holmes Street - will help regulate traffic flow. If the cameras do not detect traffic in one direction, signals will remain green for motorists traveling in the opposing direction.

Additionally, pedestrian signals will have countdown timers to let people know how many seconds they have to cross the Led light street before the light changes. Also making pedestrians' lives easier, handicapped accessible ramps will be installed at each of the intersection's corners.

According to a notice on the township's website, impacted roadways will remain open during the signal construction, but some nearby driveways may be intermittently inaccessible. Seeking further information, the Times repeatedly reached out to county engineers and the county executive's press office. Neither source returned email messages or phone calls.

The county's traffic project in Belleville is estimated to cost $304,607, according to the press release. The project is funded by state transportation improvement grants, the release states. The Led light state's exact contribution is unclear.

According to Belleville Police Chief Joseph Rotonda, there were no safety concerns at the intersection that prompted the need for upgrades.

"That's actually one of the better intersections in town," Rotonda said.