Meadow Road Overpass Opens
Transportation Commissioner James Weinstein today joined state, county and local officials to cut the ribbon for the Route 1 – Meadow Road overpass in West Windsor Township, Mercer County.
“Today’s ribboncutting not only means the elimination of another signal on Route 1,” Commissioner Weinstein said, “but it also exemplifies how true partnering efforts across all levels of government can bring about positive change for the many thousands of commuters who use this important highway each day.”
The Route 1-Meadow Road overpass was funded through a partnering agreement with Mercer County and West Windsor Township. Each provided $3 million in funding, with the NJDOT providing the balance of $26.5 million.
“We undertook this project to improve safety and traffic flow on Route 1, while also providing safe and efficient access from Meadow Road,” Weinstein said. “We originally anticipated opening the overpass up sometime in late April 2002, but I’m pleased to say that NJDOT was able to give commuters a present in time for Christmas.”
The construction project was awarded to Robert T. Winzinger, Inc., of Hainesport, NJ in May of 2000 for $12.8 million. Work began in June of 2000, with completion scheduled for April of 2002.
For the past two decades, NJDOT has been eliminating traffic signals on Route 1 and replacing them with overpasses. Signals have been eliminated at Bakers Basin, Quakerbridge Road, Duck Pond Run, Alexander Road, Plainsboro Road, Scudders Mill Road, College Drive, and Jersey Avenue.
NJDOT has also recently started work to eliminate the traffic signals at Routes 1 and 130 in North Brunswick.
With the traffic signal removed, a grade-separated overpass will carry Meadow Road over Route 1. An auxiliary lane along Route 1 southbound has been added to the project from Meadow Road to Nassau Park Boulevard, and will be opened to traffic in the spring of 2002. The auxiliary lane will provide access to area businesses, and construction of it will necessitate keeping the loop ramp from Meadow Road to Route 1 southbound temporarily closed. Ramp traffic will use a short detour on Emmons Drive for approximately 6-8 weeks.
NJDOT is currently studying the feasibility of removing the traffic signal at Nassau Park Boulevard. In order to do this, improvements and changes will have to be made to Route 1 in the vicinity of Quakerbridge Road. NJDOT expects to complete this study in early 2003.
Approximately, 70,000 motorists a day use Route 1 in the vicinity of Meadow Road.
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