Will condemn land for intersection work
By:Sarah Winkelman
The township is moving forward with a plan to use its legal powers of eminent domain to condemn a portion of land at the intersection of Half Acre Road and Route 130.
The land would be used as part of renovations to the intersection that include widening the road.
The Township Committee introduced an ordinance Monday to acquire the 1,300-square-foot section, which belongs to AVN Holding Co. LLC. The second reading and public hearing will be Aug. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in Town Hall.
Developer Rock-Cranbury had asked the township to use eminent domain to acquire the land so it could complete improvements to the intersection it had agreed to in 2003.
Township Attorney Trishka Waterbury said AVN and Rock-Cranbury disagreed over the cost of the parcel.
She said Rock-Cranbury said they agreed to pay $15,000 for the parcel. AVN said the agreement was for $15,000 plus attorney’s fees.
According to the proposed ordinance, the total cost for the acquisition of the property will be approximately $15,000. Rock-Cranbury has agreed to pay all costs associated with purchase.
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.
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 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.