WESTFIELD — A long-awaited traffic light at the intersection of Rahway Avenue and Lamberts Mill may be operational in the coming weeks, county officials say.

The traffic light, which has been talked about since June of 2021, has been covered and unused since its installment. According to town officials, the delay is due to additional equipment needed to synch the traffic light with the railroad crossing.

Westfield TownAdministrator Jim Gildea previously said, “For that light to function properly…[the railroad crossing] has to be timed with the light.” Without the connection between the light and the crossing, town officials said, the intersection will still be unsafe.

Since the installment of the light in December 2021, new regulations by the Federal Rail Administration were initiated, which required new equipment in order to synch the light and the railroad crossing. Conrail, the company responsible for the train line, has been working with PSE&G to install the new equipment needed.

The county, who installed and paid for the traffic light, has been working with Conrail to complete the project and it may be done in the coming weeks. At the May 23 town council meeting, Mr. Gildea said that the county expected the project to be completed in the next few months. At that time, Conrail had installed the majority of equipment and needed to test the lights.

Kelly Martins, Director of Union County’s Office of Communication and Public Information, said, “as is, it looks like the project will be completed by the end of August.”

The traffic light is located next to Houlihan and Sid Fay soccer fields. Town officials say that the light will help regulate the traffic during the sports seasons. The town hopes to finally see this project completed in the next few weeks.