Developer seeks help upgrading intersection

Rock-Cranbury asks township to invoke eminent domain

By:Sarah Winkelman
   Developer Rock-Cranbury has asked the township to use eminent domain to acquire a piece of land at the intersection of Half Acre Road and Route 130.
   The 1,300-square-foot section of property belonging to AVN Holding Co. LLC is necessary for the completion of the Half Acre Road and Route 130 intersection improvements that Rock-Cranbury agreed to in 2003.
   As part of two developers’ agreements with the township, Rock-Cranbury and fellow developer Prologis Trust will widen the road, and add a left-turn-only lane and a turn-signal traffic light on the eastbound side of Half Acre Road near the Amoco gas station.
   Township Attorney Trishka Waterbury said AVN and Rock-Cranbury are arguing over the cost of the parcel.
   "Rock-Cranbury said they agreed to pay $15,000 for the parcel," she said. "AVN said the agreement was for $15,000 plus attorney’s fees."
   She said if the parcel is taken through eminent domain AVN will receive fair market value for the land.
   "Based on an assessment of the property it’s worth between $2,000 and $3,000," she said. "I’ve told both attorneys that if the township exercises eminent domain, AVN will get far less for the property then if they accepted the $15,000 from Rock-Cranbury."
   In May 1997, site plan approval was granted to Prologis to build an eight-building business park on Santa Fe Way adjacent to Half Acre Road. In the agreement, Prologis said it would widen Half Acre Road to make way for additional traffic the business park would attract.
   In 2003, Rock-Cranbury received site plan approval for its four-building development adjacent to the Prologis business park. As part of the approval, Rock-Cranbury was obligated to widen the Route 130 northbound shoulder at the same intersection. The developers opted to work together on the project.
   The cost of the construction will be covered by Prologis. The project is under the jurisdiction of the state Department of Transportation. Township Engineer Cathy Marcelli said Cranbury is not responsible for the physical inspection of the project.
   The improvements will include two lanes on Half Acre Road — a right-turn and through lane, and a left-turn-only lane with a left-turn signal.
   The project will not use property owned by George’s Garage and the Amoco gas station. The businesses are located on opposite sides of Half Acre Road.
   The developers have to contract with PSE&G to move the traffic lights, retime them and move the utility poles. Work on the road improvements has been delayed numerous times because of a lengthy DOT approval process for these types of improvements.