By Charley Falkenburg, Staff Writer
WEST WINDSOR Residents in the area of Penns Neck don’t have a problem with U-turns but they do have issues with motorists doing them in their driveways.
Almost a month ago, after the Department of Transportation (DOT) closed the jughandles at Washington Road and Harrison Street as part of a test to relieve Route 1 traffic, Penns Neck residents have been seeing more of it on their properties.
Since the analysis launched, Pat Ward, the director of community development, estimated she has received about a dozen complaints from Penns Neck residents where Washington Road is on the east of Route 1.
With traffic unable to make a left to go into Princeton, Ms. Ward said drivers have been turning right on Washington Road and then making U-turns and K-turns in residential driveways.
”It’s not an odd number of motorists, it’s a large number of motorists,” she said.
Ms. Ward confirmed the closures have mainly impacted West Windsor residents on Washington Road, Varsity Road and Fisher Place known as the Penns Neck vicinity. She has yet to hear any issues about the Alexander Road turnaround.
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said he has also received complaints from residents from that area.
Ms. Ward said she has been to Fisher Place during her lunch break and has seen a couple of cars go down the road expecting to turn left, which resulted in makeshift K-turns.
Councilman George Borek told the council on Aug. 20 that he has witnessed the issues surrounding the Penns Neck area. He expressed concern for the quality of life for Fisher Place residents.
”In my opinion, this is a cheap solution to a bigger problem,” said Mr. Borek. “It’s solving the DOT’s problem, but not solving the problem here for West Windsor residents.”
Business Administrator Marlena Schmid confirmed the issues are shared daily with the DOT project manager and that the administration has now escalated the communication to the assistant commissioner of the DOT.
Before taking action, officials must first find out if the DOT’s “No U-turn” signs are legally enforceable, since they are on a county road. Ms. Ward said they are talking with the DOT to find out whether they can legally penalize offenders.
Depending on the answer, the town will either have to pass an ordinance to enforce the signs or enforce the signs as being part of a construction area, which can be done more quickly.
Either way, Ms. Ward said they would have positive directions for bringing some relief to the residents by the end of the week.

