Corrections or additions?
These articles were prepared for the October 4, 2000 edition of
U.S. 1 Newspaper. All rights reserved.
Between the Lines
Hats off to the state Department of Transportation.
Last week, in U.S. 1’s annual traffic survey issue, we reported that
commuting times in the highway had gotten slightly better, compared
to the year before, but that the morning northbound rush had gotten
worse — taking more than four minutes longer than in 1999.
But as those numbers were being reported, the DOT was planning changes
— extending the amount of time that Route 1 lights would remain
green in the morning rush period. We predicted that the change would
improve flow on Route 1, but clog traffic trying to get across the
highway.
This week we sent several drivers back to Route 1 and determined that
the northbound morning traffic has dramatically improved. The commutes
that averaged nearly 23 minutes two weeks ago now took an average
of just under 15 minutes — even better than the best time ever
posted in our survey — 17 minutes in 1990. As for the cross
streets,
we heard some complaining and saw some delays. But on this Tuesday
morning, we detected no difference on the eastbound Washington Road
commute.
Top Of Page
More Bypass Talk
THE MILLSTONE bypass, the Hightstown bypass and Route 92 are meager
attempts to channel the existing traffic either away from the business
centers or through to other major arteries. And they do not solve
the Princeton area’s problems.
Princeton’s problems may be traced back to the concerted and
successful
effort to thwart the continuation of Interstate 95 from just past
the Route 31 interchange to the NJ Turnpike at New Brunswick. Many
of the problems of Central New Jersey would not have developed had
this thoroughfare been constructed as originally planned. There would
be far fewer trucks on Route 31. The traffic on Route 1 would be
considerably
less. And the need for an East-West connector would be divided between
Interstate 195 and this original route for Interstate 95.
At this point, it probably is impossible to resurrect the original
Interstate 95 route. What I propose however remains possible. And
given the traffic concerns of Princeton, Hopewell, and Pennington
as well as those of other municipalities in the region, it has become
increasingly clear to me that more than another piecemeal effort will
be necessary to resolve the problem.
What is required is some way to divert and route traffic around
Princeton,
i.e. a Princeton Bypass. If a limited access highway (with privacy
and sound barriers) were to be constructed that would connect either
the Millstone Bypass or Route 92 with Interstate 95 between Route
31 and Federal City Road, provided there were several interchanges
for Route 1, 518, and 31, and one or two other roads, a significant
amount of traffic, currently passing through local roads, would be
diverted off the two-lane roads of the region.
I can imagine hundreds of voices crying out in defiance of this idea.
The cost for real estate and construction of such a highway would
be considerable. The disruption during its construction would be a
Herculean burden. The resistance of property owners along its route
(NIMBY) would be vociferous. However, the benefit to all of the
residents,
workers, and institutions in the region would be enormous.
Larry Cohen
233 Fisher Place, Princeton
Top Of Page
Tuning the Acronym
One correction to a fine piece on my Business
Law presentation at Trenton’s Small Business Week symposium (U.S.
1, September 27). The proper terminology for an LLC is a "Limited
Liability Company."
Robert Kenny, Esq., CPA
212 Carnegie Center
Corrections or additions?
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— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.
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