Start of overhaul on Rt. 18
expected in summer 2004
By vincent todaro
Staff Writer
EAST BRUNSWICK — A long-discussed improvement project in the vicinity of Route 18 and Tices Lane is one step closer to becoming a reality.
The Township Council adopted a $6.2 million bond ordinance to complete the road project during a public hearing held April 14. The township is expected to be reimbursed by the state and Middlesex County for the costs of construction.
The project will include a series of road widenings, jughandle reconfigurations and traffic signal changes. It affects the area on and around Route 18 between Highland Street and Tices Lane.
Work is expected to begin in the summer of 2004, according to Greg Potkulski, manager of engineering services for the township. Potkulski said the project designs were expected to be completed later this year or early next year.
The proposed improvements were prompted by studies of congestion in the area.
"This is a heavily traveled stretch of Route 18 on which the livelihood of many businesses depend," former state Depart-ment of Transportation Commissioner Jamie Fox said during an August press conference in which the township was presented with a ceremonial $3 million check from the state.
East Brunswick Mayor William Neary said the project will be funded by $3 million from the state, and $2 million from the county. The rest of the approximately $6 million value of the project was determined by the values of land being donated and other non-expense items.
During a public hearing, resident Frank Coury asked if the $3 million is guaranteed by the state. He said that during a time of economic turmoil, the state may back off from the promise.
Council President Donald Klemp said it is known that the state money will come after the project is completed.
Neary agreed that the state money is guaranteed and said the township has "assurances" that it will get the county funds. The mayor added that he was "very comfortable" with assurances from the state and county. He did not say what would happen in the event that the money did not arrive.
The portion includes widening Tices Lane to three westbound and two eastbound lanes; the construction of a reverse jughandle north of Route 18 northbound and Tices Lane; the closing of the present northbound jughandle; modification of the traffic signal at Tices Lane and Route 18; conversion of Tices Lane between Route 18 and Old Bridge Turnpike into a two-way road; and the widening of the roads and installation of a semi-actuated traffic signal at Tices Lane and Old Bridge Turnpike.
Changes will also be made at Route 18 and West Prospect Street, where the current jughandle and traffic signal will be removed. The intersection of West Prospect Street and Old Bridge Turnpike will also be improved.
West of Route 18, a one-way connector road will be built from Tices Lane south to what is called the East Brunswick warehouse access. A two-way road will extend from the warehouse access to Route 18, across from Highland Street, which will be closed at Route 18 northbound. A traffic signal and jughandle will be built where the connector road meets Route 18, in the vicinity of where Furs by Guarino is currently located, and drivers will be allowed to turn right or left onto the state highway from the new intersection.
The state Department of Transporta-tion has indicated that about 58,000 vehicles use Route 18 to travel through East Brunswick every day.