EDITORIAL
Whether a church goes up near the intersection of Princeton Pike and Province Line Road, something should be done to address the traffic concerns of those who live near there.
There’s been a lot of ballyhoo about the traffic some residents believe the Westerly Road Church would bring to the area if it were allowed to move to the John Feaster Phillips property.
In truth, a church probably won’t bring much traffic. What traffic it will bring will mostly be confined to Sundays and weekday evenings. Unfortunately, this means little to anyone who’s ever tried to make a left from Foxcroft Drive to Princeton Pike at, say, 8:30 a.m. on a typical Monday morning.
It’s rough out there. During rush hour, the lines of cars on either road move at a snail’s pace. The township says improving the intersection where the two busy roads meet would only invite additional traffic and make the problem worse. While this may be true, we think leaving the intersection alone is the wrong thing to do.
It’s time to admit that the rural character of these roads has changed. They no longer function as little two-lane country roads lined with woods and dotted by the occasional house.
These arteries are used to get us to the mega-shopping centers on Route 1. They take us to Princeton and to the train station. They allow us to avoid the I-95/Route 1 interchange.
The residential development along these roads goes against any perceived rural character of the area, too. The housing up and down Princeton Pike and Province Line Road have contributed as much to existing traffic problems as any church would. Township officials say they want to maintain the rural character of the roadways. Well, the only thing rural about them anymore are the lack of shoulders and single lanes in each direction.
Township officials say they will not act because "If you build it, they will come." Well, "they" are already here and they are not going away.
These people need adequate roads to get to work, shopping and school.
Any property that is not preserved (read purchased) for open space will be developed in some way, sooner or later. That development also will add traffic.
If the majority of Township Council is serious about studying road improvement options for that area, the council needs to follow through immediately!
The Westerly Road Church is not to blame. Its application was merely a wake up call.