I would like to explain the collaborative process taking place concerning improvements to Route 1 by the regional mayors, large tract property owners, and the NJ Department of Transportation (DOT). Many of us remember the Penns Neck Environmental Impact Study (EIS) that recommended improvements to the Route 1 corridor through West Windsor including a cut under Washington Road, an overpass at Harrison Street, a replacement bridge over the Millstone River, and a Vaughn Drive connector to Washington Road near the Sarnoff property and Route 64 Bridge.
In 2007 state funding was available to construct some or all of these improvements. $178 million was budgeted contingent on West Windsor going forward with its redevelopment around the train station, which was being planned at the time.
At the time the discussion of redevelopment around the West Windsor train station resulted in a new council being elected and the planning process stalled. In 2008 the state withdrew the money for the infrastructure improvement project.
In 2009, I initiated the Regional Mayors Coalition of the then six municipalities (South Brunswick, Plainsboro, Princeton Township, Princeton Borough, Lawrence Township, and West Windsor) so that we could speak with the DOT commissioner about improvements to Route 1 with one voice and consensus. This proved to be very successful.
In 2010, after litigation, the plan for redevelopment around the West Windsor train station was settled, and an application had been started for Transit Village Designation. This redevelopment area was based on the Vaughn Drive connector, a part of the Penns Neck EIS, and the conversation about construction of this road was renewed with the DOT. There was now a new administration and a new commissioner that had to become familiar with regional needs.
In 2011 the DOT began looking at a $2 million project that would close off left turns along Route 1 northbound and southbound. Before the changes were made permanent, the DOT decided to close off the left turns at Washington Road and Harrison Street for a trial period of three months. The no left turn trial was postponed to 2012 because of other road construction that was in progress.
In 2012 the no left turn trial began. Unintended consequences of lost drivers looking to get to Princeton and making K-turns and U-turns along Washington Road in Penns Neck caused undue hardship and danger to the residents and their families. In visiting the area, Commissioner James Simpson saw firsthand the impact the trial had on our residents and ended it one month early.
Which brings us to 2013. The Regional Mayors Coalition continues to meet with the DOT. Commissioner Simpson is still working with the Coalition to find money to make improvements to alleviate traffic congestion along the Route 1 corridor. At the Coalition’s last meeting with the Commissioner a concept plan that DOT engineers had developed for improvements on Route 1 in West Windsor was presented. This concept plan removed the signal at Fisher Place, restricted left turn movements at Washington Road and Harrison Street, and added a new at-grade signalized crossing midway between Washington Road and Harrison Street and a U-turn at Washington Road for southbound motorists. This project would cost between $33 and $40 million. Mayors voiced concerns about the impact on their municipalities and residents. As a result a process began to collect comments, ideas, and concerns and to develop a concept plan based on the consensus of the regional mayors, Mercer County, and large land tract owners who would be impacted the most. This concept plan would then be shared with respective councils, committees, and residents for additional public comments and concerns. We would then, hopefully, have a consensus on a concept plan to formally present to the DOT.
I suspect Princeton felt it was far enough along with its ideas to share an aerial map depicting some suggested improvements with its Council on Monday night, April 8. Until I see what Princeton University and Stanford Research Institute (SRI) receive from their engineers and another follow-up meeting with all parties involved, I don’t know what the conceptual improvements will look like. So far we only have ideas and possibilities.
The aerial map, which currently exists, was intended to be an initial graphic representation of a number of ideas and for discussion purposes only by regional professionals, mayors, and major property owners in response to the DOT’s latest concept. This concept review process started when the West Windsor Township engineering division overlayed regional infrastructure concepts that had been proposed in the past with the jughandles proposed by the DOT. This included the Sarnoff General Development Plan (GDP).
The purpose of our meetings with the regional engineers, mayors, and major non-residential property owners has been to formulate a response to the DOT concerning the jughandles concept. My concerns are that we maintain east/west connectivity and protect the Penns Neck area from the unintended consequences that resulted from the no left turn trial. We are glad that the DOT has provided more money to do something to address congestion in the Route 1 corridor. We now have to build consensus on what those improvements should look like.
I was pleased that SRI’s senior vice president flew here from California to participate with the regional engineers and mayors and to review the traffic ideas currently being discussed. SRI and Princeton University will be discussing these ideas and possibly generating their own in the coming weeks with their engineers and management.
As large land tract property owners, it is essential to obtain their commitment and consensus to what the Coalition will propose to the DOT because certain infrastructure improvements may affect their future development potential as well as master plan obligations. Once these two stakeholders provide their input, we will look to develop a consensus among all of the regional participants on a concept that is affordable and doable within the DOT timeframe. It will be at this time that we will be in a position to discuss the most feasible concept with everyone in the area including full governing bodies and residents.
We recently received the monitoring results of the no left turn trial from the DOT. We need to review the results and assess the data in combination with any future concept.
At this point in time there is no consensus on what we will finally propose to the DOT. Stay tuned.
Shing-Fu Hsueh
Mayor, West Windsor Township
