By Charley Falkenburg, The Packet Group
EAST WINDSOR — Heyer and Gruel Associates presented potential land use opportunities and road and intersection improvements it had found in its 2010 target study for the Route 33 Corridor Revitalization Plan on March 14 at the East Windsor Senior Center.
The study examined the current zoning and existing uses from Route 130 in East Windsor to Summit Street in Hightstown. Part of the study included the 37-acre vacant Minute Maid property, which borders East Windsor and Hightstown. The firm also analyzed the Route 33 and Airport Road intersection.
Janice Mironov, mayor of East Windsor, said the township had expressively identified that particular intersection to be in serious need of review due to its challenges.
Susan Gruel, principal of Heyer Gruel and Associates, explained the firm created a “main street feel” for the study area, which would capitalize on the close residential neighborhoods and establish a pedestrian-friendly streetscape that would link to bicycle ways.
Ms. Gruel said a general consensus agreed the area didn’t have the level of development it was capable of and it would be a good economic opportunity to provide more services.
”There are 253,000 people and 95,000 households that reside within a 15-minute drive time of the study area,” she added. “There is disposable income within this area.”
The firm created four land use categories: gateway retail, big box retail, main street retail and planned campus development.
For gateway retail, the firm proposed constructing an aesthetically pleasing signature building at the Route 130 and Route 33 intersection. Big box retail would involve developing big box pad sites along the frontage of Airport Road.
The main street retail would be toward Hightstown and would include creating a small scale walkable area, minimizing building gaps, building a pedestrian walkway network and constructing a possible YMCA to serve as a recreation anchor.
”You have the regional high school and the athletic fields nearby,” Ms. Gruel said. “You have the opportunity to work off those uses.”
The planned campus development comprised partial redevelopment of the Minute Maid site as a low-scale campus for assisted living or recreation facilities.
Ms. Gruel presented the audience with two development options. The options were nearly identical with the only difference being one had the recreation facility along the Route 33 corridor and the other had the facility at the end of the main street as the visual anchor on the Minute Maid site.
John Federico, a sub-consultant from Urban Engineers, said the fundamental approach in the traffic analysis was to develop a robust street network to complement and support the land concepts.
He proposed to create a parallel network to Route 33 to give people options in accessing businesses, extend Airport Road to Route 130, create shared parking and expand the bicycle and pedestrian network.
Mr. Federico also suggested adding a center median from Hickory Corner Road to Airport Road to provide turning lanes at intersections with shoulders and sidewalks on both sides. Sidewalks and shoulders also would be constructed from Airport Road to Summit Street.
He recommended beginning the Route 33 to Airport Road improvements and Airport Road extension first. Heyer and Gruel Associates’ proposals will be reviewed, and residents of East Windsor and Hightstown are encouraged to offer their input.
Once the plan is finalized, and the necessary changes are made to the master plans, ordinances and codes, Mayor Mironov said a marketing strategy would be developed to make the area vital and successful for both communities.
A third sub-consultant was hired to prepare market and real estate strategies, but was not present at the meeting.
Heyer and Gruel Associates was hired by an East Windsor and Hightstown subcommittee to complete the planning initiative study per a Transportation and Community Development Initiative grant of $100,000.
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission awarded the grant to East Windsor and Hightstown in the beginning of 2010. The grant will last until July 30, 2013.
Mayor Mironov said East Windsor has been the lead agency of the grant and project while Hightstown has served as the endorsee.
”This has been a great opportunity to have a collaborative planning initiative between East Windsor and Hightstown,” she added. “I look forward in continuing to fine-tune and finalize the plan and putting together the necessary tools to make it real.”

