Chris Rearick, Jackson Township manager, said a new traffic light at Northgate Plaza is set to be operational “within the next several weeks.”

“The next step of the process is Pennsylvania American Water is going to be moving a mainline that runs through that area so that the township can widen Route 19 and construct turning lanes,” Rearick said. “So at that time, the paver will come in and complete that work.”

The Northgate Light project has been an ongoing effort by the township to address traffic concerns surrounding the plaza, with the project going out to bid in spring 2022.

“It makes it safer,” Rearick said. “The number of curb cuts and the increasing traffic became a concern over the last several years.”

Rearick said the project has worked in cooperation with a number of developments in the surrounding area, including a planned retail and residential space across from Northgate Plaza.

“So, there’s two plazas: one has the beer distributor and the health store to the south, and then to the north there’s a plaza with several shops in it,” Rearick said.

Between them is hair salon Studio Alchemy, the location of the future Cooper Shopping Center and Apartments.

“Basically, they’re looking to demo that and then construct either a retail or office space with apartments above it on that ground in the middle,” Rearick said. “Then there would be an integrated shopping center with all three properties.”

Rearick said owners of all of the surrounding properties have worked closely with the township for the completion of the Northgate Light.

“We expect a lot of work to occur next week, and then the following couple of weeks the final work to be done to get the project substantially complete,” he said Friday. “That’ll include paving the turning lanes, the widening of (Route) 19 in that area and then paving the streets leading up to it.”

Rearick said the plazas have made a coordinated effort to tie their businesses to the new light as part of the final steps in the project.

“It’s all come together,” Rearick said. “There have been some challenges, certainly, but it’s all come together rather quickly.”