Township plans major upgrade of Witherspoon Street

Resident suggestions sought at upcoming meeting

By: Molly Petrilla
   Princeton Township officials are asking residents to help them plan for the rehabilitation of Witherspoon Street and several other nearby roadways.
   The township has received a $750,000 federal grant to make substantial road improvements, and will solicit ideas at a public meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 28.
   Township Engineer Bob Kiser said the township plans to use the grant to improve Witherspoon Street between the Princeton Borough line and Cherry Hill Road — a stretch that has not been re-paved since the mid-1980s.
   He said the road itself is deteriorating, and the sidewalks and curbs that line it are also in poor condition. Using money from the grant, all those concerns will be corrected, and new street trees and landscaping will also be added.
   In addition, he said the township plans to add a left-turn lane at the intersection of Mount Lucas and Valley roads, and to re-align the cross-point of Terhune and Mount Lucas roads.
   Mr. Kiser said the township typically holds meetings of this variety because "neighbors know the streets better than anybody else.
   "They’ll tell us about drainage problems they’ve had or a sinkhole in a certain location," he added. "We find it very beneficial to meet with the neighborhood and receive their input."
   Mr. Kiser said the Nov. 28 meeting will not be the last public discussion of the street and road repairs. Once they receive the first batch of public input, officials will work on the design and hold at least one other public meeting at which the contractor will be present, he said.
   According to Mr. Kiser, construction will not take place until summer 2007 or early 2008, depending on how soon township officials can meet requirements set by state and federal transportation agencies.