Middlesex County reports: road projects, community events, paper-shred program and arts funding

County directors provided routine departmental updates during the meeting.

The engineering division said preconstruction meetings have concluded and construction will begin soon on roadway and drainage improvements on Wilkerson Avenue, Island Park in Edison, including a new traffic signal at Wilkerson Avenue and South Eleventh Street and work at Prospect Plains Road and Applegarth and Monroe. In South River, the division said Main Street curbing and ties are being removed between Milltown Road and Ferry Street; county milling and paving projects remain ongoing.

The county's cultural and events reports noted that first-place winners in a county senior art contest proceed to the New Jersey Senior Citizen Art Show and that winners' works are viewable on the county website. A short-play festival marking its tenth anniversary (a South Asian play festival supported in part by the county Arts Trust Fund) was also recognized.

The divisions of recycling, solid waste and environmental services announced a free paper-shred event on Sunday, Sept. 7, from 9 a.m. to noon at South Brunswick Beachwoods Park, 137 Beekman Road; the event will operate rain or shine and residents may shred paper free of charge (staff asked that attendees not include other metals). The Department of Public Safety reminded drivers that schools are back in session and urged caution around school buses and pedestrian crossings.

Recreation staff reported that Blazin' Park drew well over 29,000 visitors for the summer season, citing single-night attendance figures above 2,000 for several events and noting rain reduced some totals. Upcoming family programming for October was announced with ticket sales beginning Sept. 15.

No formal board action was taken during these departmental reports; items were presented for information.