A plan to avoid dividing Pike Run development.
By: Kara Fitzpatrick
MONTGOMERY In a measure aimed at changing the current alignment of the proposed Route 206 bypass, the Planning Board approved an amendment to the township’s Master Plan on Monday that provides an alternative route for the controversial road.
The township-approved design makes the road, popularly known as the Hillsborough Bypass, shorter than the plan proposed by the state Department of Transportation and endorsed by Hillsborough Township routing the bypass to the west before it crosses Township Line Road, where it crosses the CSX railroad tracks and connects with the existing Route 206.
But according to Mark LaVorgna, DOT spokesman, the state will proceed as planned.
"We’re moving forward with the original bypass plan," Mr. LaVorgna said, adding that the original plan is one to which the township agreed years ago.
"We have a responsibility to the region to move forward with the project," Mr. LaVorgna said.
But township officials say some parameters have been changed since the 1992 settlement agreement between Montgomery and the DOT.
According to the Master Plan amendment approved by the Planning Board, that settlement included terms "that would reasonably safeguard the quality of life for the future residents of the (Pike Run) development" something, township officials say, that no is longer represented in the current design.
One of the objections the township has against the DOT design is the at-grade portion of the road which they say was decided upon as a below-grade road in the settlement agreement that will split the 1,288-unit neighborhood of Pike Run.
"We are not dealing with the same thing we were dealing with back in 1992," said Township Planner Richard Coppola, referring to the changes made in the DOT project.
Mr. Coppola cited environmental and logistical reasons as justification for an alternative plan. He said that the current DOT design also would have negative effects on the historic Harlingen village, wetlands and area habitats. And, he said, the bypass likely will not accomplish its purpose.
"The current design will only worsen the traffic congestion problems in Montgomery Township," Mr. Coppola said, adding it would discourage the use of Route 601 as an alternative for travel in the southwestern direction.
The Planning Board-approved design, Mayor Louise Wilson said, gives drivers the choice between Route 601 and Route 206 for southbound travel.
The action "is really for our purposes," said Mayor Wilson. "We know that adopting this as part of our Master Plan is not going to change minds among Hillsborough’s elected officials."
Mayor Wilson called the DOT’s design "unworkable" and "ill-advised."
Hillsborough officials have expressed fears that redesigning the bypass would cause a delay in the project. Work is slated to begin in 2007.
Planning Board Chair Steven Sacks-Wilner said a lengthy delay in the project, if the alternative design were employed, would be unlikely. Mr. Sacks-Wilner said it should be made clear that Montgomery is "not opposed to the bypass," but rather opposed to its current alignment.
But, Mr. Sacks-Wilner said, the lack of state funds makes it probable that the DOT will not break ground by 2007 in any event.
"The only way it could happen is if the state found some new funds," Mr. Sacks-Wilner said.
Mayor Wilson agreed.
"I think the likely scenario is that this road won’t get built at all," she said. "But that’s a separate issue from what the endpoint should be if the road is built."
Mr. LaVorgna disputed the projections made by township officials.
"We’re planning on funding the project," he said, adding that construction funding would come from the budget of fiscal 2007 or 2008.
The measure is just the latest of many taken by the township to persuade the state to revise the bypass alignment.
In January, township officials called on the Federal Highway Administration to require the DOT to provide a new environmental assessment of the bypass to determine if a full Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement should be required.
But the Federal Highway Administration replied to the firm representing the township, Arnold & Porter LLP, that the DOT has followed the proper procedure.

