Cranbury chief: Traffic getting better

But more can be done.

By: Matt Kirdahy
   Two years ago the state improved the safety of motorists by creating a left-turn traffic lane at the intersection of Dey Road and Route 130.
   Based on the decrease in the amount of car accidents reported since the fix, Cranbury police Chief Harry Kleinkauf said the construction was a success, but another problem for the township’s motorists still remains at Cranbury Circle located at the 70-mile marker on Route 130 near South Main Street.
   "It’s a hot spot right now," Chief Kleinkauf said about the congested traffic circle that connects South Main Street toward Hightstown. "Dey Road outdid it for the longest time. Now the circle is completely outdated."
   The chief said the time with the highest volume of traffic at the circle occurs between 4 and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. He also said there is an accident at the Cranbury Circle every few weeks and that it is another traffic burden that needs fixing.
   According to the state Department of Transportation, there are no plans to remove or improve the circle.
   "The DOT sees traffic roundabouts positively and will continue to incorporate them in future design plans where necessary," spokesman Mike Horan said. "Based on research, roundabouts reduce accidents and are safer for pedestrians."
   The DOT reported that, based on a study conducted in 2000, there were 19 accidents around the Cranbury Circle, six of which occurred in wet weather conditions.
   Prior to the Dey Road intersection construction, there were a reported 32 accidents at what was once the busiest traffic area in Cranbury, the 11th worst out of 100 intersections in the state, according to a DOT report from 1999.
   "Our accident rate has dropped tremendously since that intersection was completed," Chief Kleinkauf said. "That was the worst spot in the whole township. It was something that needed to be fixed for years."
   The left-turn lane was finished in 2001.
   Even though there is no change in store for the circle, Chief Kleinkauf said he still believes its removal would help.
   "We have the volume situation going north in the morning and coming south in the afternoon," he said. "There’s been a lot of growth in the area and I would like to see it removed."