What will it finally take to replace that bridge over the railroad on Schalks Crossing Road? A terrible accident? A fatality? I have the distinct disadvantage of having to traverse that battle-scarred bridge several times daily.
That also goes for my wife, both my children in a school bus — egad, those are dangerous enough already –– many Princeton Collection residents like me, and thousands of commuters going to Forrestal Center, Dow Jones, and Route 1.
I’ve long wondered why my car needs an alignment every six months, and I’m surprised that my tire hasn’t yet exploded while driving through those foot-deep potholes. Worse yet, it’s like a slalom course up there, as cars weave to avoid these land mines, which is somewhat dangerous since the lanes are prehistorically narrow and you can’t pull off on the shoulder because, well, there is no shoulder.
I’ve also encountered boulders atop the bridge that of course I can’t see until I’m 10 feet away because of the steep upgrade. Some are pieces of the bridge itself, some bounce off the back of trucks. Another frequent sight is the Middlesex County road crew tamping yet more asphalt patch into these moon craters. Plainsboro should just rent them a house under the bridge and make this a daily ritual. It would probably save us tax dollars in travel costs.
I do recall reading an article in this paper last year about the delays with this bridge repair/replacement. Plainsboro’s quite efficient at putting up intersections, traffic lights, even a town center with brick sidewalks and throw-back street lamps. Excuses about county, state, and Amtrak bureaucracy just don’t cut it anymore with regard to this bridge. The buck stops with Plainsboro Township. Create a fuss with the right people, Mr. Mayor. Make it happen before there is a disaster up there. And that’s not a matter of if — it’s a matter of when.
Paul Neiheiser
Plainsboro
