Improvements sought for Robbinsville-Allentown Road and Sharon Road intersections.
By: Mark Moffa
WASHINGTON The realization that the Southerly Bypass is many years from completion prompted township officials to scramble to put in place plans to improve east/west traffic flow in the Town Center area.
Mayor Dave Fried said the Southside district of Town Center could not be built without improved traffic circulation.
The mayor said he attended a meeting with planning officials one month ago at which the need for an immediate solution was discussed. Two weeks ago, Planner Bob Melvin presented a solution to the Township Committee. Mr. Melvin said the improvements necessary to allow Southside to be built can be done within 18 months.
First, he said, the intersection of Robbinsville-Allentown Road (Route 526) with Route 130 can be improved for traffic going west to east, toward Allentown. He said a right-turn "slip" lane would be added to allow cars intending to turn right onto Route 130 South to do so more easily.
A lane for vehicles turning left onto Route 130 North will be added, too, so that cars going straight through the intersection will have an easier time getting across.
"We could take care of a lot of that backup that you see because people who are trying to (turn) are blocking people who would rather go through," Mr. Melvin told the Township Committee during a March 14 meeting.
These improvements could be complete within six months, he said, although acquisition of some land from the Coastal gas station is necessary.
The remainder of Mr. Melvin’s plan is more ambitious. He said he hopes to create a Route 526 Bypass, or Robbinsville Bypass, that would run from the east side of Route 526 to Route 130 between the municipal building and Sharon Road where Route 33 East currently intersects with Route 130 South. This will become a full intersection, where vehicles can turn left or right or continue straight across Route 130.
Traffic going toward Allentown will have an intersection with two dedicated left-turn lanes, a right-turn lane, and a lane for vehicles going straight across Route 130. Traffic going west will have a right-turn lane, one left-turn lane, and a lane to continue straight.
A road also will connect the municipal complex with Sharon Road.
Mr. Melvin said this project could be done in 18 months. He said these plans already were in the works, but are being accelerated.
"We can’t wait five years for infrastructure," Mr. Melvin said.
John Reymann, the township’s new engineer with the Van Cleef Engineering firm, said the construction could be complete in less than two years. He noted, however, that part of the land needed near the municipal complex for the Route 526 Bypass has to be acquired from the state.
An additional complication is that DOT eventually plans to revise the Route 33 intersection with Route 130 South, moving it further north. This means the township’s new full intersection of the Route 526 Bypass with Route 130 eventually will need to move north as well.
Traffic signal work will be needed for the new intersection. The township has spent years trying to get a signal installed at the intersections of Gordon and Meadowbrook roads with Route 130.
However, Mr. Reymann said this signal work could be done more quickly. "I believe we can get that in a timely fashion," he said.
Mayor Fried said the projects were necessary to relieve traffic congestion in the region, especially in light of the delay in the Southerly Bypass road, and to keep construction of the Town Center on track.
"If we don’t do this, Town Center may have to be put on hold," he said. "It’s that kind of a mission critical phase."