WEST WINDSOR: Jughandles protest on Saturday

By Charley Falkenburg, Staff Writer
   WEST WINDSOR — Come rain or shine, protesters will rally tomorrow against the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Route 1 traffic experiment in hopes of shutting it down.
   What resident Susan Parris describes as a “peaceful protest” will take place at her house at 207 Washington Road, which is at the corner Washington and Fairview. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., participants will carry signs, hand out flyers and warn drivers to refrain from making the U-turns and K-turns.
   ”The immediate focus is on convincing the DOT to end the negative consequences of the turn restrictions,” said Ms. Parris. “We want to keep Route 1 moving too, but not at the expense of the east and west routes, residential neighborhoods and small businesses. We need solutions that benefit all parties.”
   The organizers planned the protest for Oct. 13 because it coincides with a football game at Princeton University, making it the ideal time to enlighten lost or out-of-town drivers who are unfamiliar with the area and the alternate ways to enter Princeton.
   A second protest is planned for Oct. 20 at the same place and time. Both town authorities and police are aware of the rallies.
   These demonstrations are in response to weeks of direct negative impacts the test program continues to have on the quality of life and safety of town residents, particularly in the Penns Neck area.
   Since the DOT closed the jughandles at Washington Road and Harrison Street two months ago, homeowners on Washington Road, Varsity Road and Fisher Place have been suffering from drivers doing illegal U-turns and K-turns on their properties.
   ”This decision by the DOT was made in direct violation of the ‘good traffic principles’ that they agreed to for a regional traffic solution,” said resident Nancy Bennett, one of the organizers of the protest. “It was made in a vacuum without consultation with or concern for any authority or community.”
   Despite the DOT and the town police’s efforts to address concerns via state police presence and increased signage, the problems persist for the citizens. Many have gone to town officials, citing worsening safety hazards, children being put at risk and an increase in accidents.But to resident Ms. Bennett, citing the ills that keep cropping up is now useless. She thought that the DOT’s “dismissive” response to Princeton’s concerns regarding the little bridge on Alexander Road becoming overloaded was evidence that state officials aren’t listening.
   Some officials appear uncertain of what to do. According to Ms. Parris, DOT Commissioner James Simpson was in the area on the evening of Oct. 10, when her neighbor spotted him, prompting about 10 residents to approach him with their concerns.
   ”He said all he has to do is solve the U-turn problem, but admitted he didn’t know how. He also said he wants e-mails sent directly to him and gave us his contact information,” said Ms. Parris. “He claimed that no letters or e-mails to the DOT ever reached him.”
   The commissioner had told them he would visit again, but did not specify when, according to Ms. Parris.
   With no immediate substantial improvements or solutions in sight, residents and town and county officials continue to step up and put a series of efforts in motion to bring the state pilot to an end.
   A couple of weeks ago, the Penns Neck residents began meeting at the West Windsor Senior Center to organize a plan of action. Dubbing themselves the “Smart Traffic Solutions,” they formed an online petition at www.change.org/petitions/njdot. Within days, the petition had reached the 1,000 signature goal.
   The petition not only represents the desire to reopen the jughandles, but also calls for an overpass at Harrison Street, a Vaughn Drive connector and the widening of the Alexander Road bridge at Stony Brook.
   The group also formed a Facebook page titled “No U-Turn, New Traffic Patterns on Washington Road,” which 56 people have joined so far. The page allows concerned people to keep everyone posted on any new developments regarding the test project and allows group members to voice concerns, upload pictures of offending drivers and document the progress of “Smart Traffic Solutions.”
   Those interested can visit http://www.facebook.com/groups/noUturns.
   ”In the end, whatever anonymous DOT bureaucrat who made this decision doesn’t have to listen,” said Ms. Bennett. “We really only have one possible recourse: to petition, peaceably assemble and ask our governor and other elected officials to protect us and everyone who works, visits, lives, does business or just needs to pass through Princeton or West Windsor.”
   As of now, only the two protests are planned. However, Ms. Parris said some residents will be attending the Central Jersey Transportation forum in South Brunswick on Oct. 30. Her husband, David Parris, is a non-voting member of the forum.
   ”Smart Traffic Solutions” is on that night’s agenda and citizens will be allowed to speak briefly.
   More information on the forum can be found at http://www.dvrpc.org/ASP/committee/committee.aspx?p=CJTF.