Dutch Neck School warning light approved

Council approves $55,000 expenditure, but wants school board to pick up some of the cost.

By: Emily Craighead
   WEST WINDSOR — The Township Council on Monday agreed to allocate $55,000 in the capital budget to install a warning beacon in front of West Windsor-Plainsboro School District’s Dutch Neck School.
   "Once the funds are available, it will take three to four months to get authorizations," Business Administrator Chris Marion said. "We’re going to seek funding assistance from the school board."
   The council has not agreed to pay for the entire project, but members wanted to act quickly to improve traffic safety at the school by allocating the money now.
   "It’s the only way it’s going to get done in time for September," Councilwoman Jackie Alberts said.
   The total cost of the beacon is estimated at $55,000 — $10,000 for engineering, $25,000 for equipment, $15,000 for installation and $5,000 for inspection.
   The Dutch Neck Parent Teacher Association made the request to have a beacon like the one in front of Maurice Hawk School on Clarksville Road installed in front of Dutch Neck.
   "Because the road doesn’t belong to the school, we need to work with the township," Board of Education President Hemant Marathe said. "We want to do everything that will make the traffic situation safer" in front of all the districts schools.
   Both Mr. Marion and Mr. Marathe said discussion about the details of the project will continue between the township and the school board.
   "No matter what we do, the taxpayers will pay anyway," Mr. Marathe said.