Woodbridge Township, New Jersey

Woodbridge Township is a Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 97,203. Its estimated population as of 2005 by the Census Bureau was 100,577, which places it as the fifth most populous municipality in the state, although the 2006 estimate has it back down to 99,208, making it the sixth most populous municipality in New Jersey.

The township of Woodbridge is named after Reverend John W. Woodbridge (1613-1691) of Newbury, Massachusetts. The Township of Woodbridge is the oldest original township in the state of New Jersey. It was settled in the early autumn of 1664 and was granted a charter on June 1, 1669 by King Charles II of England, and reincorporated on October 31, 1693. Woodbridge Township was incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Rahway (April 19, 1858), Raritan Township (March 17, 1870, now Edison Township) and Roosevelt (April 11, 1906, now Carteret).

Geography
Woodbridge Township is located at 40.5571°N, -74.28316°W (40.557104, -74.283162).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 24.2 square miles (62.7 km2), of which, 23.0 square miles (59.6 km2) of it is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2) of it (5.00%) is water.

Area code 732 is used in Woodbridge.

Communities
Many distinct communities exist within Woodbridge Township. Several of these communities have their own ZIP codes, and many are listed by the United States Census Bureau as census-designated places, but they are all unincorporated areas and neighborhoods within the Township that, together, form Woodbridge Township in population and area.

These communities are as follows (with 2000 populations listed for the seven census-designated places):
 * Avenel (2000 population of 17,552)
 * Colonia (17,811)
 * Fords (15,032)
 * Hopelawn non-CDP
 * Iselin (16,698)
 * Keasbey non-CDP
 * Menlo Park Terrace non-CDP
 * Port Reading (3,829)
 * Sewaren (2,780)
 * Woodbridge Proper (18,309)

Local government
Woodbridge is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government.

The Mayor of Woodbridge Township is John E. McCormac, who was elected on November 7, 2006 and sworn in on November 14, 2006. McCormac replaced Frank G. Pelzman, who was the mayor until his death on June 29, 2006. Mayor is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition, a bi-partisan group with a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets." The Coalition is co-chaired by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The Township Council is the legislative body which represents the public; receives input, develops and adopts policy, and resolves public issues; formulates Township policy through motions, resolutions and ordinances which reflect the needs of the public; and maintains a working knowledge of intergovernmental issues and how they will affect Woodbridge Township. Members of the Township Council are:
 * Brenda Yori Velasco, Council President, Councilwoman-at-Large
 * James V. Carroll, Councilman-at-Large
 * Gregg M. Ficara, Councilman-at-Large
 * Patricia Osborne, Councilwoman-at-Large
 * Charles Kenny, Councilman-First Ward
 * Richard A. Dalina, Council Vice President, Councilman-Second Ward
 * Greg Bedard, Councilman-Third Ward
 * James Major, Councilman-Fourth Ward
 * Robert G. Luban, Councilman-Fifth Ward

Education
The Woodbridge Township School District serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district's 16 elementary schools ( Mawbey St. School #1, Avenel St. School #4&5, Port Reading School #9, Ross St. School #11, Ford Ave. School #14, Indiana Ave. School #18, Menlo Park Terrace #19, Claremont Ave School #20, Oak Ridge Heights School #21, Lynn Crest School #22, Kennedy Park School #24, Lafayette Estates School #25, Robert Mascenik School #26, Pennsylvania Ave School #27 and Matthew Jago School #28) serve 5,953 students in Grades K through 5, with 478 certified staff members and 6 guidance counselors. Enrollment in the district's five middle schools ( Avenel Middle School, Colonia Middle School, Fords Middle School, Iselin Middle School and Woodbridge Middle School) is 3,336 students, with 281 certified staff members including 10 guidance counselors for Grades 6 through 8.

Points of interest

 * The Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center is a correctional facility operated by the New Jersey Department of Corrections. The facility is located in the Avenel section of the Township. ADTC provides treatment to convicted sex offenders.
 * East Jersey State Prison is a male prison facility in Woodbridge Township, (formerly known as Rahway State Prison) on the border of Rahway. However, the mailing address is in Rahway, leading many to believe the facility resides there. The name was changed in 1988 at the request of the Rahway residents.
 * Woodbridge Center Mall the second biggest mall in the State of New Jersey and a popular shopping center for visitors and local residents.
 * J.J. Bitting Brewing Co.Established in 1997, J.J. Bitting Brewing Company was the first brewery to operate in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, since the repeal of prohibition in 1933.The 3 story restaurant resides in a beautifully restored 100 year old brick building that once housed The J.J. Bitting Coal and Feed Depot that serviced the farming community of Woodbridge.

Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Woodbridge Township include: Lou Creekmur. Woodbridge HS graduate who played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions, and was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame.
 * Clarence Madison Dally (1865-1904), glassblower and assistant to Thomas Edison
 * Dith Pran (1942-2008), Survivor of the killing fields of Cambodia, New York Times photojournalist, human rights activist
 * Tom Higgins (1954-), NFL and Canadian football player and coach.
 * Jack H. Jacobs (1945-), graduated 1962; Medal of Honor recipient, awarded 1969.
 * Kyle Johnson (1978-), fullback with the Denver Broncos from class of 1996.
 * John McCormac, former New Jersey Treasurer and Mayor of Woodbridge Township.
 * Jim McGreevey (1957-), former Woodbridge mayor and Governor of New Jersey.
 * Frank Pelzman, former Woodbridge mayor
 * Dawn Marie Psaltis a.k.a. Dawn Marie, professional wrestling personality
 * Richie Sambora (1959-), member of rock group Bon Jovi.
 * Bret Schundler (1959-), mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey.
 * Joseph Vitale (1954-), State Senator and former mayor.
 * Rohit Vyas, News Anchor and News Director
 * Dagmara Wozniak (1988-), sabre fencer named to the U.S. Olympic team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in women's sabre competition.
 * Pedro Valle, General Manager, Aramark at Monmouth Park Racetrack