Ocean County will be installing centerline rumble strips on 20 miles of county roads in an effort to warn distracted drivers they are getting far too close to leaving their travel lane and crossing into oncoming traffic.

“This is 100 percent for safety,” said Ocean County Freeholder John P. Kelly, Director of Law and Public Safety.

The project includes the installation of rumble strips on about 20 miles of roadway in municipalities including Berkeley, Jackson, Manchester, Toms River, and Lacey townships and Beachwood. Roadways in the project include Double Trouble Road, Pinewald-Keswick Road, Dover Road, Don Connor Boulevard, Manchester Boulevard, Oak Ridge Parkway, South Hope Chapel Road, Beckerville Road, Diamond Road and Lacey Road.

“Many of these roads are heavily traveled,” said Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari. “Too many drivers are driving distracted, whether they are talking on cell phones, texting, driving drowsy or just not paying attention to the road. The noise from the rumble strips quickly makes you take notice of your surroundings. And, hopefully the driver will be forced to pay better attention to the road.”

The centerline rumble strips will be of the same type as those drivers have become accustomed to on the edges of the Garden State Parkway.

“These centerline rumble strips will have the immediate safety benefit of alerting the driver that has strayed over the centerline,” said Freeholder James F. Lacey, who serves as liaison to the Ocean County Road Department.

With more than 1,600 road lane miles in Ocean County, roadway selection was based on roads that are in good condition, road lighting at night, and a road’s prior accident history.

“We make every effort to provide safe roadways for our motorists,” Kelly said. “This project will help improve safety on 10 county roads in six different municipalities.”

Ocean County is expected to seek bids on the project in the near future. The project is being funded through a federal safety program grant. The work could be completed by early winter. [TLS]