Politics & Government
Route 1 Intersection Improvement Project Nearing Completion
Project will reconfigure the jughandle at the intersection of Route 1 and New Road on the northbound side
An improvement project at one of South Brunswick's more troublesome Route 1 intersections is expected to be completed by the end of summer.
Township officials said the New Jersey Department of Transportation expects to finish an improvement project at the intersection for New Road and Route 1 in the coming months.
"They've completed the paving and the striping of the road so that job is near completion," said Public Affairs Coordinator Ron Schmalz. "We don't have a firm completion date but it should be done over the summer."
The approximately $8.5 million project will reconfigure the jughandle at the intersection of Route 1 and New Road on the northbound side. The project will move the jughandle outlet further back towards the middle of New Road in the direction of Route 522 to allow improved access for motorists.While that project will alleviate issues at one problem intersection, work to improve intersections at Route 1 and Ridge Road, Henderson Road and Deans Lane, still awaits state funding.
The township is hopeful the upgrade to the Route 1 intersection with Ridge Road will move forward within the next 18 months. The $2.2 million project is expected to alleviate the constant flooding issues that affect the intersection during periods of heavy rainfall.
Route 1 was closed during the overnight hours earlier this month as the remnants of a tropical storm caused the road to flood over.
While intersection improvements would help reduce some traffic issues, officials said the project really just serves as a band aid until the state finally commits to widening Route 1 in South Brunswick.
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It's been estimated that in order to expand Route 1 into three lanes on both sides of the 6.7 miles the roadway runs through South Brunswick, it would cost anywhere from $300 to $500 million dollars. The township has been waiting since the mid-1980's for that project to move forward.
"There will always be a problem with the various towns along the Route 1 corridor because they look at their own needs first and that's the way it is," said Mayor Frank Gambatese earlier this year. "Everybody has to take care of their own town, but there will never be major improvements in traffic until these bottlenecks along the corridor are taken care of by wideneing Route 1."
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