Here's What the Woodbridge Council Decided Tuesday Night
The council approved an eminent domain action on a Main Street property, signed off on nearly $1 million for a high school parking overhaul, expanded its surveillance camera program, noted a major new health center at Metro Park, and locked in a roughly $2.2 million energy deal with PSE&G — among other items.
An abandoned building sits at 73 Main Street in Woodbridge. (Google Maps)
Chris Howell | May 6, 2026
The Top 5
1. Township Moves to Take Over Abandoned Main Street Property
The council took the first step Tuesday toward seizing an abandoned property at 73 Main Street using a legal tool called eminent domain, which allows a government to force the sale of private property — as long as it pays the owner a fair price and has a public purpose in mind. The measure still needs to pass a second vote at the May 19 meeting, where residents will have a chance to speak. The township has not yet said publicly what it plans to do with the property. This is the kind of action Woodbridge rarely takes, making it one of the most significant items the council has considered in recent months. Residents who live or do business near 73 Main Street should pay attention to what comes next.
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2. Woodbridge High School Getting a Major Parking Overhaul
The council approved spending just under $1 million to redesign the parking lot and traffic flow at Woodbridge High School. The contract went to Crossroads Paving Co. The work is intended to make the lot safer and easier to navigate, though the township has not yet released details on what specifically will change or when construction will begin. Parents and students can expect updates as the project moves forward.
Security camera on the Mount Vernon, Washington, river walk. (Courtesy: Cody Logan)
3. New Surveillance Cameras Coming to Township Streets
The council approved a roughly $22,000 deal with Crime Point, Inc. to buy pole-mounted security cameras, and Police Director Robert Nisky explained a key reason: illegal car meets. “Car meets pose a significant public safety concern,” Nisky told the council. “These events often involve reckless driving, large crowds, and a disregard for lawful orders, creating dangerous conditions for drivers, pedestrians, bystanders, and responding officers.”
Nisky said the most recent incident occurred on March 21, when roughly 107 vehicles gathered in a parking lot near Route 9 and Quality Way. Officers issued citations after participants initially refused to leave. He added that a social media influencer with a large car-culture following had recently inquired about hosting an event at a Woodbridge restaurant — a sign, he said, that these gatherings will keep coming. The cameras will be mounted on existing poles at locations the township has not yet disclosed publicly.
4. New Health Center Near Metropark
The council approved a long-term energy efficiency agreement with PSE&G worth more than $2 million, to be paid over five years in monthly installments of roughly $37,500. Under the agreement, PSE&G will make energy-saving upgrades — things like LED lighting and heating and cooling improvements — to township-owned buildings. The idea is that the upgrades will lower the township’s monthly utility bills enough over time to help offset what it’s paying PSE&G. Whether the deal ultimately saves taxpayers money will depend on how much energy costs drop once the work is done.
Metropark Station in Edison (Courtesy: Adam Moss)
5. Township Signs Roughly $2.2M Energy Deal with PSE&G
Hackensack Meridian Health officially opened a new health and wellness center at Metro Park station on April 29, which Councilman Virbhadra Patel called a major milestone and the first healthcare facility of its kind located at a transit hub anywhere in the country. The roughly $200 million project is expected to create about 1,000 jobs. The center is already seeing patients in some areas and will be a full-service facility by the end of June, offering primary care, specialty care, urgent care, lab work, and more — all in one place, steps from the train platform.
Also on the health front: the Woodbridge Health Department will hold a free Mental Health Awareness Fair on Saturday, May 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the main library. The event is open to all residents.
Honorable Mentions
Good news! Online parking passes coming soon! Woodbridge residents will be able to buy quarterly parking passes for township facilities online rather than on paper — a change Councilman Daniel Harris said was prompted by a constituent suggestion.
Woodbridge and Rahway towns split the costs. The council approved a roughly $211,000 cost-sharing agreement with the City of Rahway for roadwork on Bramhill Road
Three Liquor License Transfers Under Review. Anais Lounge in Fords would reopen as “X Hale” under new ownership; a new restaurant, Saffron Social, is coming to Gill Lane in Iselin; and the former Jersey Boys Pizza Bar & Grill license is moving to a new ownership group. All three are pending final approval.
Fiber and 5G Rules for Woodbridge. The council introduced an ordinance that would set rules for how telecom companies can install fiber cables and small 5G wireless antennas on public streets and utility poles. It goes to a public hearing at the May 19 meeting before a final vote.
Also Approved Tuesday
- Road resurfacing contract increased by $55,997 — total now $5.08 million
- $66,370 for a digital document storage system (Laserfiche) through Dell
- $14,382 for a one-year IBM software license
- $45,687 for a new Ford Bronco Sport for the Police Department
- $49,816 for a new Ford Interceptor police cruiser
- Up to $24,850 in home repair assistance approved for a Woodbridge resident
- Tax exemptions approved for three disabled veterans: Carlos Alexandra Balseca, Christopher Lee Ortiz, and Dante F. Laudadio
- Stage rental fees waived for the Annual Ganesh Festival, September 17–21
- New stop sign approved at Sonora Avenue and Hillcrest Avenue
- New handicapped parking added on Larch Street North
- New general parking added at 380 Berry Street and Moore Avenue
- Woodbridge Fire Department Community Night approved for May 14, 4–9 p.m.
- Fire Department annual Open House set for October 6, 5–8 p.m.
Coming Up
The council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 19, at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers at One Main Street, Woodbridge. Items expected to return for action include the 73 Main Street eminent domain ordinance, the fiber and small cell wireless ordinance, and a slate of public works engineering resolutions, including a 2027 milling and resurfacing program proposal and a NJDOT grant application for Lake Avenue roadway improvements.
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