I would like to publicly thank Commissioner James Simpson of the NJ DOT for calling an early end to the Route 1 left turn restriction pilot and restoring the roadways so quickly. The NJ DOT staff has been working with West Windsor staff almost daily to try to direct traffic away from local streets and neighborhoods. Ultimately, no solution could be found and the commissioner made the decision to terminate the pilot. We are grateful.
I would also like to thank the grassroots organization “Smart Traffic Solutions” and the residents who provided leadership during this time, specifically Tamerra Moeller, Susan Parris, and Eric Payne. The residents worked constructively with the administration by documenting the impact of the pilot and working with staff and the police to communicate to the DOT the level and nature of the traffic that was making U-turns and K-turns to get across Route One. I also want to thank West Windsor staff and especially the police, who were always available to the residents and the DOT to add their observations and suggestions on improving the situation.
Lastly, I would like to thank the mayors of other municipalities in the area, and other elected officials and major stakeholders for their support of West Windsor during this pilot. The east-west traffic impact of these closures affected business owners, commuters, and residents on both sides of Route 1. While terminated, the pilot was not without its importance as a reminder of how connected the region is. I suspect that the traffic counts gathered during the pilot will tell an interesting story.
And so the need of north-south traffic improvements that do not adversely impact east-west travel remains and I look forward to future meetings on other potential solutions. Regional improvements that have been suggested are the Vaughn Drive connector from Alexander Road to Washington Road, widening of the Alexander Road bridge across the Stony Brook, and an overpass at Harrison Street. I look forward to meeting with the DOT and regional stakeholders to continue our discussions.
Shing-Fu Hsueh
Mayor, West Windsor Township
