By JENNIFER AMATO
Staff Writer
SOUTH BRUNSWICK – To alleviate traffic during rush hour, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) will allow motorists traveling through South Brunswick to use the shoulder as a travel lane for six months.
Between Independence Way and Raymond Road, going both northbound and southbound on Route 1, a 1.5-mile stretch will be used for motor vehicle traffic, with the exception of trucks, from 6-9 a.m. and from 4-6 p.m. weekdays. The route should take effect by the beginning of July.
“This will ease the congestion through this portion of the corridor,” said Steven Shapiro, spokesman for DOT. “The goal is to increase capacity.”
The six-month pilot program will necessitate the restriping of Route 1 during nighttime hours so that will be three 12-foot wide travel lanes and a one-foot wide shoulder in the left lane, Shapiro said.
Should the program be effective, it could be extended. Shapiro said closed circuit television cameras will be installed to monitor the traffic.
“It will help us with our data collection,” he said.
However, there are some concerns over the two signalized intersections and about 20 driveways along the stretch.
“Safety, of course, is our main concern, so if there are safety issues it will not be continued,” he said.
Shapiro said the program has been done on Route 29 in Trenton, Route 9 in Old Bridge and on the N.J. Turnpike extension of the Pulaski Skyway. It has also been implemented in Washington state, Virginia and Massachusetts, and is prominent in Europe.
“It has definitely helped handle the traffic,” he said.
Shapiro noted that DOT did evaluate widening the roadway, but he said it is cost-prohibitive because the right-of-way acquisition would be very expensive.
DOT will release more information as schedules for the restriping and opening of the shoulder lanes are announced. All projects are weather-permitting.
Contact Jennifer Amato at [email protected].