It will be a manicured boulevard with decorative lighting, flowering trees, shrubs and flowers, ornamental welcome signs and passive park areas.
By: Mark Moffa
WASHINGTON It will be a manicured boulevard with decorative lighting, flowering trees, shrubs and flowers, ornamental welcome signs and passive park areas.
Sound like a part of the Town Center? Possibly. But these elements are part of the Route 130 Corridor Revitalization Plan, as touted by the Township Committee last week.
A Route 130 Revitalization Task Force was formed last week to begin developing what Mayor Dave Fried calls "a mini master plan" for the township’s portion of Route 130, which stretches 5 miles from South Gold Drive at the Hamilton border to Hankins Road at the East Windsor border.
"Route 130 is what most people see of Washington Township," Mayor Fried said. "We’re really going to dress up Route 130 and make it fit into the town’s demeanor."
The township’s plan includes elements to improve the visual appearance, economic development and road conditions along Route 130.
Committeeman Vince Calcagno said he worked on the plan with Mayor Fried, Committeeman Doug Tindall and Committeewoman Cathy St. John.
Mr. Calcagno said the township will identify the types of businesses it would like to see in certain areas along Route 130, and then try to convince businesses that fit into the plan to locate in the township.
"When you know what kinds of businesses you want to attract then you market for those things," Mr. Calcagno said.
He said Washington is not interested in businesses such as "big box" major retail, huge car dealerships or large car washes.
Small office buildings like the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association facility on Route 130, farmers markets and a limited number of gas stations are desired.
"We want to establish a gateway that acknowledges the fact that you’re in Washington Township," Mr. Calcagno said.
The township, according to its plan, would like to study the feasibility of establishing a technology business incubator.
An incubator, Mayor Fried said, would create an atmosphere in which young hi-tech companies could thrive. The township would wire an area with the technology necessary for companies that require high-speed Internet capabilities.
Mr. Calcagno said grants are available from the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology for incubators.
Another part of the plan calls for asking the state to reduce the speed limit on Route 130 through parts of the township. Mr. Calcagno said East Windsor was successful in getting the speed limit on parts of Route 130 reduced to 50 and 45 mph.
"It’s not unprecedented," he said.
Mayor Fried stressed the open space portion of the Route 130 plan, saying he did not want Route 130 in Washington to be wall-to-wall business.
"We don’t want it to be like Route 33 in Hamilton," he said.
At last week’s Township Committee meeting, the group passed a resolution establishing the task force and entered into an agreement for $3,700 with Brown & Keener of Philadelphia, a planning firm that helped plan the Town Center.
Committeeman Jack Mozloom said he was in support of the plan, but questioned whether the township’s efforts were in line with the state’s long-term plans for Route 130.
Last year, officials from the state Department of Transportation presented the committee with its 20-year plan, which included turning Route 130 into a three-lane highway in each direction.
Mr. Calcagno said the expansion of Route 130 was almost 20 years away, and that now would be a good time for the township to start to shape Route 130 before circumstances force the township’s hand.
"We can start working on public areas that are overgrown right away and turn them into passive park areas," he said.
The economic development portion of the plan likely will include incentives for businesses to locate on lots that are in bad locations or have odd shapes.
Ms. St. John said the township is going to allow three months for the creation of a design, and six months for a long-term economic development plan.
She said the township’s Economic Development Committee, Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Adjustment, Environmental Commission, Engineer Jack West and Planner Bob Melvin all will be involved in creating the plan, along with Brown & Keener.
Mr. Calcagno said although the revitalization will not occur overnight, parts of the plan could be implemented this year.
"A lot of these things can happen this year," he said. "I’m hoping I’m going to be surprised at how fast some of these things are going to happen."