No-passing line in WW backed in petition by 200 residents

Village Grande plea brought before Mercer freeholders

By: Nick Norlen
   WEST WINDSOR — Citing a "potentially life threatening" situation, more than 200 Village Grande residents in West Windsor have signed a petition in support of double yellow line striping near their development entrance on Old Trenton Road.
   The petition was presented to the Mercer County Board of Freeholders Tuesday by West Windsor Council members Will Anklowitz and Charles Morgan, along with township resident George Borek.
   The three are currently running mates for West Windsor Township Council.
   Mr. Anklowitz said that although Old Trenton Road is a county road, it merits their attention because it’s in the township.
   "The residents have complained about it and I have gone to look at it," he said. "I also think it’s dangerous."
   Mr. Anklowitz said the petition met with support from the county Tuesday, and said County Executive Brian Hughes noted he would contact the state Department of Transportation to seek the necessary warrant to make such changes.
   Mr. Hughes said Wednesday that he is very aware of the issue.
   "Quite frankly, I think it’s very important because it’s an age-restricted community," he said. "People move down that road pretty quickly."
   According to Mr. Hughes, the county faces a few hurdles in changing the striping from single to double yellow lines.
   "The state department has different circumstances when you can put a single line for no passing or a double line," Mr. Hughes said. "We had the warrant that allowed you to put the single line with passing. We support and have supported the double line but we need to satisfy the state Department of Transportation on the particulars of allowing us to do that."
   Mr. Hughes said the issue is important, but not new.
   He said he has been in contact with township Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh about the issue for a few years.
   "We have been moving forward with it with the mayor and residents for quite some time," he said. "We certainly have been in ongoing discussions with the state Department of Transportation for some time now."
   Planning Board Chairman and Village Grande resident Marvin Gardner said meetings with Mr. Hsueh and Mr. Hughes resulted in an additional 600 feet of double line striping last summer, but that no more could be done at the time.
   Mayor Hsueh said the efforts started more than three years ago.
   He said he hopes Village Grande residents "understand the governmental process" necessary to make such changes.
   "It’s not that the township or county ignored the issue," he said.
   However, Mr. Anklowitz said it was important to bring it to the county’s attention again.
   "One of the freeholders said they weren’t aware of this issue, so it turns out it was a good thing we would bring this to their consideration," he said, noting that the issue is now "in the hands of the state."
   Mr. Hughes said he hopes state officials respond favorably.
   "We will add the petition as part of our package to DOT and use that as an extra tool to ask them to make it a priority," he said."We have been doing everything that the county is allowed to do in getting the double yellow line."
   He said he believes the state should allow counties to make their "own determination when a double line would be needed."
   "If we were able to … I’d grab a bucket of yellow paint and just go out there and paint the lines," he said.