The intersection of Shrewsbury Avenue and Drs. James Parker Boulevard is slated for $225,000 in pedestrian safety improvements.

One of Red Bank’s busiest intersections has been singled out for a slew of improvements aimed at making it a safer crossing for pedestrians.

From an announcement Monday by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority:

The North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) Board of Trustees today approved $225,000 for a project that will improve pedestrian safety and overall operations at the intersection of Shrewsbury Avenue and West Bergen Place/Dr. James Parker Boulevard in Red Bank.

The project was one of four in the region funded through the NJTPA’s Fiscal Year 2013 Local Safety Program, which provides federal funds to counties and cities for high-impact safety improvements that are relatively “quick-fix” in nature and ready for construction.

Improvements will include: the replacement of the existing fixed-time loverhead traffic light with a modern signal featuring vehicle detection capabilities, a battery backup, and 12” LED signal heads; high visibility crosswalks; push button-activated pedestrian countdown signals; pavement markings, signs and striping; and ADA-compliant curb ramps.

“Shrewsbury Avenue is a key local artery for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians,” said Monmouth County Freeholder Thomas Arnone, who represents the county on the NJTPA Board. “This project will modernize the intersection and make it much safer for all travelers”

Monmouth County also successfully applied for a $500,000 Local Safety Program grant in 2011 for safety enhancements in Red Bank along Front Street/River Road, near the downtown and hospital area. Construction on that project began this summer.

The Local Safety Program funds improvements to remedy documented safety hazards on county and local roads. In total, the NJTPA action allocated approximately $1.825 million for Local Safety Program projects in FY 2013. The program reflects the regional priorities outlined in Plan 2035, the long-range transportation plan for the NJTPA region. Key goals of the NJTPA are to make travel safer and to promote walking and biking.

More information on these programs is available on the agency’s website.

The NJTPA is the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for 13 northern New Jersey Counties. Under federal legislation, MPOs provide a forum where local officials, public transportation providers and state agency representatives can come together and cooperatively plan to meet the region’s current and future transportation needs. It establishes the region’s eligibility to receive federal tax dollars for transportation projects.

The NJTPA Board consists of one local elected official from each of the 13 counties in the region (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren), and the cities of Newark and Jersey City. The Board also includes a Governor’s Representative, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, the Executive Directors of NJ Transit and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and a Citizen’s Representative appointed by the Governor.