When Princeton residents bought their homes in the Mount Lucas Road, Terhune Road and Turner Court neighborhood, the last thing they ever expected to see was a fueling station – complete with a canopy and above-ground fuel storage tanks.
Yet in the last couple of months, that is exactly what has been built in the green space bordered by Mount Lucas Road, Cherry Hill Road and Route 206, replacing several large trees and sculptures that welcomed visitors to Princeton.
Last week, Princeton officials met with about 40 neighbors – many of them visibly angry – to explain the reason for placing the municipal fueling station in that location. They also fielded questions about the traffic impact of closing off a short stretch of Terhune Road between Mount Lucas Road and Route 206.
Terhune Road is being closed off in connection with the construction of the new headquarters for the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad. The parking lot for the building will be located on what had been Terhune Road, which Princeton Council has officially “vacated.”
Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert offered apologies to residents at the April 11 meeting, acknowledging that the town should have done a better job of communicating those changes to residents.
Robert Hough, the town’s director of infrastructure and operations, said the municipal fueling station had been located on the property for “decades.” The underground fuel storage tanks were used for cars and trucks in the town’s municipal fleet – from police patrol cars to the ambulances, fire engines and the trucks used by the Department of Public Works.
Town officials had considered relocating the municipal fueling station, but each of the potential sites had issues, Hough said.
The Princeton Sewer Operating Commission property on River Road was a potential site, but River Road floods. There is inadequate room at the former Princeton Borough Department of Public Works site on N. Harrison Street. Sharing Princeton University’s fueling station is not feasible because the town has about 200 vehicles in its fleet.
Town officials also said the large fuel storage tanks are needed to ensure there will be enough gasoline and diesel fuel on hand in case tanker trucks cannot make deliveries during inclement weather.
“It is part of emergency management,” said Administrator Marc Dashield.
The Princeton Police Department, the Princeton Fire Department, the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad, the Department of Public Works and the school district’s buses are located near the municipal fueling station.
Although town officials wanted to install underground fuel storage tanks, state officials are requiring them to be installed above ground, Hough said.
Those explanations, however, did not satisfy the residents.
“Quite frankly, it is not a scenic view. This is a residential area. This is a horrible location,” one resident said.
Town officials reassured the residents that steps would be taken to landscape the site and to hide the fuel tanks. Deer-resistant evergreen trees will be planted, along with trees and bushes that blossom at different times during the year.
The canopy over the fuel tanks also drew criticism from residents, which they claimed made it look – in their words – like a gasoline station.
Municipal Engineer Deanna Stockton said the canopy over the fuel tanks is necessary to prevent spilled fuel from running off the pavement. It also protects the police officers, firefighters, truck drivers and school bus drivers from the rain when they are refueling, she said.
The top of the canopy is black, but it could be re-wrapped in red to tie it into the new Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad building, Stockton said. Other steps could be taken to minimize its appearance, including screening it up to the top.
Princeton officials also acknowledged the disruption to traffic now that the short stretch of Terhune Road has been closed. Motorists were able to make left- and right-hand turns onto Route 206 from Terhune Road, but now they have to line up at the traffic light at Route 206 and Cherry Hill Road to make a left turn onto Route 206 southbound.
Left turns onto Route 206 southbound have been banned at the intersection of Route 206 and Valley Road by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, which controls Route 206, over concerns whether there would be adequate gaps in northbound and southbound traffic on Route 206 to make the turn.
Princeton has been pushing for a traffic light to be installed at the intersection of Route 206 and Valley Road, but the New Jersey Department of Transportation is opposed to it, Stockton said. State officials do not want to locate traffic lights in close proximity to one another, she said. There is another traffic light at Route 206 and Mountain Avenue.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation would consider installing an emergency traffic signal at Route 206 and Valley Road, but not a full-fledged traffic light, Stockton said. The town has hired a traffic consultant to prepare a traffic study that addresses the issues, she said.
Although they listened to Princeton officials’ explanations, many residents could not hold back their frustrations.
One attendee said that the “main thing” he is getting out of the meeting is that there is nothing town officials can do about getting a traffic light at Route 206 and Valley Road or the overall traffic issues.
Another resident said the decision to close Terhune Road between Route 206 and Mount Lucas Road exacerbated an “already bad” traffic situation, as cars line up at Route 206 and Cherry Hill Road to make left turns. Cars are back up on Mount Lucas Road, between Valley Road and Cherry Hill Road, waiting for the traffic light.
“Somehow, there has to be better communication. It is abysmal,” the resident said.
Mayor Lempert defended town officials, pointing out that some of the issues have been “conflated.”
The traffic snarls caused by the closure of Terhune Road are unrelated to the fueling station canopy, and the relocation of the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad – near the Princeton Fire Department and the Princeton Police Department – was well publicized, Mayor Lempert said.
Compromises had to be made for the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad to relocated “so they would have the space to keep us safe,” Mayor Lempert said.
“We hear you loud and clear. I think there are things that can still be done (to resolve some of the issues),” Mayor Lempert said.