Old Trenton Road Widening Project

[RobDiamond]

A project has begun to widen Old Trenton Rd. Does anyone know anything about this?

[Guest]

Is this so people can go even faster and pass on the shoulder?

[Dan Mulligan]

Speeding is definitely an issue on Old Trenton Road. With that from what I remember when sitting in on the Township Committee meetings which discussed this issue the entrance to Millstone park will be realigned and I believe the plan was to allow a vehicle to turn x amount of feet sooner by shortening the shoulder as you approach the the side roads to turn off Old Trenton Road. Much like what was done on Rt 130 by Old Trenton Road.

A traffic study was completed last year which the professionals said did not yield results which would lower the speeds. Part of the issue with Old Trenton Road is the majority of it where many of the speeding concerns are is County owned. So the town will need to work further with the county to lower the speeds.

Supposedly however the county has made reducing the speed on county roads an easier process.

[Guest]

The widening is taking place more towards Main St. - Near Farmstead Way.

[g2]

[Guest]

From what I heard (nothing official just rumor) The whole length is being repainted. There will be turn lanes for all the roadways that are off of Old Trenton ( Jefferson, Farmstead, Lynch, Parkview, Washington) and the main travel lanes will be made smaller to slow traffic. There will be a realignment of the Millstone Park entrance as stated above.I also believe that the speed limit may be reduced to 40mph.
Again rumor nothing to back this up.
I hope it is true.

[Guest]

Not quite. The project basically moves traffic to the current shoulders to create turn lanes so traffic can move faster. Where there is a narrow shoulder or no shoulder currently, the road will be widened. Many trees will be removed. The net result is increased traveling speed.

[Guest]

So if I understand, we're creating a suicide lane on Old Trenton rd? Nothing like a family car and kids staring down speeding cars on one side and getting passed by speeding cars on the other.

This I think will increase speeds because now if a car is making a turn you have to slow down or stop while they make the turn.

[Guest]

[Guest]

The speed is NOT being reduced.

[Guest]

I hattend a meeting at the end of last year. The TC stated emphatically that they tried their best, but the County would not grant a reduced speed even for some sections because they felt most cars travelled at the speed limit.

[Guest]

What I don't get is why the county thinks 50 is the appropriate speed through a residential neighborhood and community park but then reduces the speed to 40 MPH as soon as you pass One Mile Road for a commerical business park then increases it back to 50 MPH at Princeton-Hightstown Road. Why exactly is it important for drivers to be more cautious through the business park for half-a-mile? And the police love to use it as a speed trap stopping people doing 50 who didn't slow down for that one little strip. I see them set up there all the time.

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Guest]

Let's give it a month or so until they start the project and then we will see.
Within the last year the law changed to give municipalities power to change things like speed limits. In the past there was too much red tape because it is a county road. Now the Township can change the speed limit, it is not totally easy but easier than before.

[Guest]