Movin’ on the New Jersey Turnpike
By Jen Samuel, Managing Editor
EAST WINDSOR — After years of construction, major work has been completed on the new 10-lane Interchange 8 toll plaza of the New Jersey Turnpike.
The new exit is scheduled to fully open early tomorrow morning — weather permitting — East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov announced Tuesday.
The expansion is part of a $2.5 billion widening project, which began in 2009 involving exits 6 through 9. The state route begins just shy of the Delaware Memorial Bridge to the south and continues north, connecting tourism hubs such as Princeton with New York City.
The widening project is scheduled to be completed next year, said Tom Feeney, media coordinator for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, on Thursday.
”There are more than 30 contracts for work related to the widening,” Mr. Feeney said. “There is no single contract specifically for the relocation of Interchange 8.”
And construction isn’t completely over for East Windsor residents just yet.
A Route 133 bridge still is under construction to support a grade-separated, direct connection from Route 33 to the new Interchange 8 toll plaza as announced by the New Jersey Department of Transportation in 2011. Construction of the bridge began that June.
”The bridge that is being built over (Route) 33 to connect Interchange 8 to the bypass will be finished this spring,” Mr. Feeney said.
The project will reconstruct local roads along the northbound side of the New Jersey Turnpike. Drainage improvements, utility relocations, new lighting and traffic signal modifications also are included, the DOT previously announced.
There will be 18,000 trees planted in East Windsor to compensate those lost during construction of the widening in East Windsor.
”Trees are being planted in phases, and some were planted in 2011, some in 2012, and trees will continue to be planted over the next three years,” said East Windsor’s mayor Thursday.
Mayor Mironov said, “We believe the upgrades will be a great benefit to East Windsor residents, many of whom utilize the New Jersey Turnpike on a daily basis to commute.”
This week the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce called the new Interchange 8 “an essential access point to the Princeton region.”
”Transportation improvements like the renovated Turnpike entrance and lane expansions are essential to supporting continued business growth, tourism and economic development in Mercer County and the Princeton Region,” said Peter Crowley, president and CEO of the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce. “It makes East Windsor a much more accessible market for companies to expand and new companies to locate into.”
He said in the past, summer traffic jams on the Turnpike have been “just horrendous . . . if we can alleviate that — which I believe (the project) will do — that is a major improvement to traffic flow.”
He noted, “We think it is going to be a great portal for tourism for the Princeton Region.”
Mr. Crowley told the Herald on Wednesday, “Mayor Mironov has done a phenomenal job at building a very positive business environment in her community.”
Additionally, he said the recent merger between Princeton Township and Princeton Borough, which began Jan. 1, has been going smoothly.
”It has been a much easier transition than they thought it would be,” Mr. Crowley said. “It seems to be moving very effectively.”
As for the impending opening of Interchange 8, Mayor Mironov said, “The key element for residents and area drivers to be aware of is that, effective Friday, Jan. 25, early morning (and) post-midnight, all traffic entering East Windsor Interchange 8 will access at the new toll plaza. As of that time, the existing toll plaza and all access ramps to it will be totally closed.”
The Turnpike widening program consists of approximately 35 miles of road widening and associated interchange improvements from Interchange 6 in Mansfield Township, Burlington County (Milepost 48) to just south of Interchange 9 in East Brunswick Township, Middlesex County (Milepost 83), according to a recent East Windsor Township press release.
The mayor continued, “New signage will direct vehicles to the newly opened Interchange 8.”
Access to the new toll plaza has been relocated to the east side of the Turnpike via ramps in the vicinity of the Route 33-Route 133 intersection, the East Windsor release said. Recently installed traffic signals will enable vehicles to and from Route 33 and Route 133 to safely access and exit the Turnpike.
And the new bridge connecting the Turnpike with direct Route 133 access is coming soon.
”We expect increased interest from the hospitality industry as well as other businesses looking to relocate to an excellent area of the region,” Mayor Mironov said, adding that East Windsor has undertaken a Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission-grant funded study of the exit 8 Turnpike area to assess the changes in circulation and any issues as well as how to best position the town to maximize attraction of high quality commercial development.

