LAWRENCE: Council OKs Darrah Lane light deal

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   A traffic light planned for the intersection of Darrah Lane and Lawrence Road/Route 206 moved closer to reality as Township Council approved an agreement between Lawrence Township and the state Department of Transportation at its April 21 meeting.
   The agreement outlines the maintenance of the traffic light by the state. Township Council had already agreed to pay up to $28,000 toward the cost of installing the traffic light — about 25 percent of the cost of the traffic light installation.
   Township officials have been concerned about traffic safety at that intersection for many years. The DOT had installed a left-turn lane on Route 206 southbound several years ago, and it subsequently agreed to install a traffic light at that intersection.
   The suggestion for a traffic light grew out of a study of Route 206 from Province Line Road to its intersection with Princeton Pike at Harney’s Corner, conducted by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.
   At the time of the study, which was completed in 2006, it was noted that there had been five accidents at the intersection of Darrah Lane and Route 206 between 2002 and 2005 involving cars entering or leaving Darrah Lane.
   Darrah Lane provides a direct connection between Route 1 and Lawrence Road/Route 206. Although Darrah Lane is a residential street, its width attracts high volumes of traffic and entices motorists to speed, the DVRPC study said.
   The DVRPC study produced a long-term plan for the state-controlled highway. The $97,000 study was paid for by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration.