A smoother commute will follow resurfacing work
By:Michael Arges
EAST WINDSOR – The state Department of Transportation has promised an end to the bumps battering cars on northbound Route 130 in East Windsor.
"They’re going to be making major improvements on the northbound lanes through almost the entire township," said Mayor Janice Mironov.
The DOT is preparing construction contract plans and documents for the resurfacing of Route 130 from north of Hickory Corner Road to the Cranbury Circle. The coming improvements were announced Tuesday during the Township Council meeting.
The DOT in an Oct. 3 letter to the mayor announced the resurfacing plans, which also will include upgrading guard rails, regrading the median berm, and repairing deteriorated joints. However, Mayor Mironov said, the DOT has set no schedule for the work.
Repaving would correct some significant safety hazards, Mayor Mironov said, noting that she receives many complaints about the road’s condition from area residents. "It’s really become more than a discomfort; it’s become a safety issue in some places."
The road surface is pocked with holes in some places and buckles creating raised areas resembling speed bumps, the mayor said. Also, the buckled pavement may cause drivers to brake suddenly.
"That’s a tremendously dangerous situation when you hit one of these things," Mayor Mironov said. "They can cause damage on low sitting cars or cause you to be jolted in your control of the car."
The mayor was happy to report that DOT already provided a temporary fix for some of the bumps by using equipment to flatten some buckles.
Mayor Mironov suggested the DOT’s action is in response to her Aug. 21 letter pointing out the damage and related safety problems. She hopes repaving of the two southbound lanes will follow shortly, noting that both lanes need work. Based on residents’ complaints, however, she agreed both northbound lanes should be the priority.