LAWRENCE: Officials advise drivers to plan for games traffic

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
While residents should be pleased that the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games is coming to Lawrence Township and Mercer County next week, the event is going to generate a significant amount of traffic, as well.
And that’s why Lawrence Township officials are reminding residents about the overall increase in traffic between June 14 and June 20 — the dates that 3,500 Special Olympians and 70,000 of their friends and families will be in Mercer County.
There will be an overall increase in traffic throughout Lawrence Township all week caused by spectators going to and from Special Olympics events, township officials said.
So unless residents are attending those events, it would be advisable to avoid Route 206 between Eggerts Crossing Road and Main Street in the village of Lawrenceville. They can use Princeton Pike, Route 1 or I-95, township officials said.
The weeklong event actually begins with the traditional Olympic torch run, which will arrive at 8 a.m. June 14 at the Special Olympics New Jersey headquarters on Princess Road. It will be taken by bus to The College of New Jersey.
Around 1:30 p.m., it will be bused back to Rider University. At 5:30 p.m., a short run with the torch is planned. The route takes it from Rider University down the street on Route 206 to the nearby Greenacres Country Club.
At around the time that the torch is being carried to Special Olympics New Jersey’s headquarters, the first of many airplanes will be touching down at the Trenton-Mercer Airport with their cargo of Special Olympians and their families and supporters.
The planes will begin landing around 8:30 a.m. and continue to deliver their passengers until around 3:30 p.m. Plane are expected to land about every four minutes. The volume of aircraft that day will be exceptionally heavy, township officials said.
Beginning June 16 and through June 20 — which is Monday through Friday — traffic on township roads is expected to be extremely heavy, especially in the vicinity of Rider University and The Lawrenceville School, township officials said.
More than 50 buses will be leaving Rider University — where the Special Olympians will be staying — every morning between 6 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. to take the athletes to their respective venues around Mercer County. Buses will be traveling from The College of New Jersey to Rider University, bringing athletes to events scheduled at Rider.
In the afternoon between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., the buses will take the athletes and coaches to various scheduled evening activities.
Police officers will be stationed at Rider University, as well as Princeton Pike and Princess Road, directing traffic as needed — depending on the traffic congestion, said police Lt. Charles B. Edgar.