With West Windsor residents sending the township and the state Department of Transportation letters to express their frustration with the Route 1 jughandle closures, even creating a Facebook page to share accident information and quality of life concerns, the DOT responded by sending two representatives to the Tuesday, September 4, Council meeting. Anthony Attanasio, the DOT’s assistant commissioner for government and community relations, spoke to Council and a room full of 50 residents, with the majority being those who live in Penns Neck.
“The importance of the pilot project cannot be lost. The reality is that something had to be done. The redevelopment of West Windsor is tied to the healthy flow of traffic on Route 1. West Windsor can’t grow and we can’t grow businesses and economic development in the state without a well-functioning Route 1,” Attanasio said.
He told Council and residents that over its first month, the DOT has observed an improvement of north and south traffic on Route 1.
“Based on volumes and there not being enough stacking room on Washington Road, folks were stacking up onto Route 1. Without the acceleration lane, you are now backing into a traffic lane, which compounded Route 1 northbound. By no means are we declaring victory, but we are encouraged by the flow on Route 1 — but the next two weeks will be very important,” Attanasio said.
But, he admitted, “we knew there would be issues. When motorists are driving and they are used to a certain pattern, they become programmed. There is a learning curve,” he said.
He reminded the public about the presentations made at West Windsor’s municipal complex and in Princeton, inviting comments and questions from residents months before the project started.
“The reality is you folks live where you live. We feel confident that we have broadcast enough that folks should know what to expect when they are coming on Route 1. This is why we increased enforcement in conjunction with the West Windsor Police, patrolling during peak hours and writing three-point tickets for illegal U-turns and K-turns. This is another method for folks to understand what is an unacceptable driving pattern,” he said.
Starting on Tuesday, September 4, the DOT procured the services of New Jersey State Police to assist West Windsor’s cops enforcing the current traffic regulations.
Attanasio said adjustments have been made on a daily basis by DOT officials, based on information received from Mayor Hsueh, the administration, Police Chief Joe Pica, and the DOT’s “folks monitoring the stretch.” Attanasio added that technology including Bluetooth, cameras, and methods to measure travel times, also provide the DOT with data.
But the residents have been gathering data of their own. David and Susan Parris of 207 Washington Road have documented many of the incidents that occur in front of their doorstep as a result of the DOT trial. In a letter to the editor (see page 3), Susan Parris says the DOT should have seen the issues coming — or perhaps they did and decided to let the consequences happen in any case.
“The neighborhood warned NJDOT representatives at the information presentations. As a fellow state employee, I really don’t want to come to the conclusion that you [the DOT] did expect this outcome but just don’t care that Penns Neck is being forced to bear a very dangerous burden,” she writes.
At the meeting Council member Bryan Maher grilled Attanasio about the DOT’s considerations heading into the pilot project. “You guys didn’t think that people would go down these neighborhood streets and do A-turns and K-turns? I’ve been receiving E-mails about accidents as a result of this, so it seems like a lot bigger problem than what you anticipated,” he said.
As Attanasio and his colleague, DOT Director of Communications Joseph Dee, listened, residents of Penns Neck spoke up about their neighborhood’s new problems. Maher insisted that a DVD of the September 4 meeting be sent to DOT Commissioner James Simpson, saying “at least a dozen copies” should go to the DOT and state government, and even offering to pay for the DVD copies himself if need be. The line of residents willing to sign up for public comments and express their frustration to the DOT representatives stretched into the municipal building’s hallway.
Tamerra Moeller of 201 Varsity Avenue told Council her block — the intersection of Wilder and Varsity avenues — had become “a de facto car carrier” for Route 1.
Peter Hodge, who lives at 218 Varsity Avenue, also told Council he has major safety concerns for that area.
“Individuals push their grandchildren in strollers on Varsity Avenue. We have joggers and bicyclists at all times of day, and several school bus stops. Trucks, vans, and cars come down Wilder from 571 and make a big U-turn. Some will go left towards Varsity or Fieldston and then work their way back to 571. At Wallingford a Coach USA bus wanted to make a K-turn. He backed into Wallingford and came out onto 571 and blocked eastbound traffic because nobody in the westbound lane would let him in,” Hodge said.
Sanja Dimic of 210 Washington Road was brought to tears as she spoke before Council, thinking about her children’s routines as they return to school this week. “It’s a sad situation when my kids could walk, ride their bikes, and skateboard without worry but now they can’t. While driving my daughter to the pediatrician at 9 a.m., I saw one accident and four K or U-turns, and that was while the state police were there,” she said.
Curtis Hoberman of 175 Washington Road, a member of the West Windsor Zoning Board of Adjustment and a 34-year resident of Penns Neck, told Council he already has an alarm clock and did not need the sound of traffic or accidents waking him up each day.
“This morning I saw two trucks making K-turns and U-turns prior to 7 a.m. One truck was going in reverse and beeping to complete the turn. Last week at 6:20 a.m. I heard car horns beeping in response to motorists making K-turns. The traffic study is affecting the quality of life in Penns Neck and now I have had to develop more street smarts when I’m driving, because at any point the car in front of me could do a K-turn or U-turn,” he said.
Eric Payne of 237 Washington Road said his family has resided in Penns Neck for nearly 100 years, and the four or five accidents that have occurred since the DOT project began are the most he can recall hearing about. “It’s only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed getting their mail, mowing their lawn, or simply pulling out of their driveway,” he said.
Payne added that he now leaves garbage cans in front of his house to prevent property damage from cars and trucks making U-turns. “I am being refused pride and enjoyment in my home. In the past few weeks it’s been impossible to sleep with headlights from all the cars making u-turns in my driveway lighting up my house, and it will only get worse as it gets darker earlier in the fall,” Payne said.
Attanasio told the public the pilot project stemmed from the now dormant plans for a Millstone Bypass, which originally envisioned much larger capital improvements along the Route 1 corridor “to alleviate what is obvious to everyone who lives and travels through this region. There are too many cars and not enough roads,” Attanasio said.
He also spoke about the projected cost for the bypass — estimated at $178 million — which he said the DOT did not have. But Councilman Maher quickly interrogated Attanasio about the financial details of the current Route 1 jughandle project and whether the DOT had taken into consideration such ancillary costs as the time and gas expenses that residents and thousands of commuters have had to bear, as well as police and overtime costs for West Windsor Township to maintain some degree of order, particularly at the intersection of Washington Road and Route 1.
Attanasio told Maher he was not aware of the financial details or implications, and but he would get that information from the DOT for the councilman. Attanasio said the final cost of the project would also be known only once the 12-week trial was completed.
Councilman George Borek asked Attanasio to procure financial support for West Windsor from the DOT. Business Administrator Marlena Schmid then looked to Attanasio and said an invoice will be put together for the DOT to look to compensate West Windsor for additional costs taken on as safety precautions. Council President Kamal Khanna said safety will remain the highest priority, regardless of the dollar amount. Members of Council also told Attanasio the effect on West Windsor residents’ quality of life with the current project had been overlooked by the DOT.
Council Vice President Linda Geevers told Attanasio “our citizens should not have to pay for this.” Attanasio then agreed to report that back to Commissioner Simpson. Attanasio also promised to pass along all the residents’ and Council members’ questions and comments to Simpson.
Paula McGuire of 219 Washington Road asked about the potential $178 million cost and what could be done if that was still a possibility. “Lots of things cost a lot of money. New York State is re-doing the Tappan Zee Bridge for billions of dollars. We have to have more help understanding what this means to everybody,” she said.
