DOT is suggesting reducing four lanes to two on Route 29 south of Lambertville, as well as other recommendations.
By: Carl Reader
LAMBERTVILLE Concerns the city has had about the buzz and whirl of traffic around town were answered recently by the state Department of Transportation with something called the Lambertville Gateways Project.
"This is DOT’s response to concerns we had about speeding and problem intersections," Mayor David Del Vecchio said.
The answer proposed by the DOT centers on areas of Route 29 in the southern part of town. The proposition, which would have to be passed by the City Council, would narrow Route 29 from four lanes to two, create additional on-street parking, add pedestrian crossings and improve pedestrian and bicycle access.
Before all that can be done, there will be a public hearing on the issue at 7:30 p.m. May 15 at the Lambertville-New Hope Ambulance and Rescue Squad building.
"We want to hear what people have to say about it," Mr. Del Vecchio said. "We want to hear what people like and don’t like."
Once the public feedback is in, the council can vote on what it thinks is right about the project, and what it thinks is wrong about it.
The cost of the work would be picked up by DOT, according to the mayor.
One of the big issues is what the project would do for the speeding problems on Route 29. By narrowing the highway from four lanes to two, the city could lower the speed limit from 45 mph to 25 or 30, according to Mr. Del Vecchio. Prior requests for a lowered speed limit there were not responded to in a positive way by the DOT, the mayor said.
"The only way they’ll lower the speed limit is to make it two lanes," Mr. Del Vecchio said. "We wanted to make the speed limit 25 or 30 everywhere in the city."
The reduction in the number of lanes lowers the capacity of the roadway, but DOT contends "it continues to maintain an acceptable level of service while providing safety and operational benefits for all users along the corridor."
It also would provide additional parking, allow for better pedestrian and bicycle use, improve safety and preserve the character of the community, the DOT asserted.
Other changes are possible. DOT is recommending Feeder Street become one-way westbound, toward the Delaware and Raritan Canal. DOT contends this would reduce approaching traffic headed northbound onto Route 29 and eliminate a "difficult sight distance" approaching the highway. DOT also says it would eliminate cars having to approach the steep incline and improve conditions to integrate a two-way on-road bicycle path.
It also maintains the entrance to the Riverwalk Office complex. The reduced number of lanes can provide on-street parking there, the DOT claimed.
The reduced number of lanes also would provide the opportunity to widen sidewalks and make access to the canal easier. Bicyclists would benefit from the reduced number of lanes since it would provide better on-road conditions, according to the DOT resolution.
Problems are possible, according to DOT. This might limit access to the Riverwalk parking lot from Route 29.
If the city makes Feeder Street one-way eastbound, the only benefits, the DOT claimed, are eliminating left-turning traffic off Route 29 and forces turning traffic to a dedicated left-turn lane at Mount Hope Street.
The DOT also recommends removing the existing two-hour parking limit. Eliminating two lanes would provide a total of 16 additional parking spaces to the north and east of the current parking area in front of the Laceworks complex. This parking could be metered, thereby generating income and encouraging a time limit for parking.
Another recommendation by the DOT is the closing of the north end of South Franklin Street between Swan Street and Route 518. By limiting access to South Franklin Street, that would "minimize the number of entry points into the intersection of Route 165, thereby reducing the potential for conflicts," according to the DOT.
It also would improve "pedestrian mobility" by limiting auto access through that intersection, and it would limit cut-through traffic from Route 165 to Swan Street.
One drawback of that would be limiting access between Route 518 and Swan Street.
The DOT also recommended placing four "No U-turn" signs along Route 29 by the Riverwalk office complex.
"They’ve given us the options," Mr. Del Vecchio said. "Now it’s a question of what the public will support."