By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
WEST WINDSOR — Those people in the orange vests during peak weekend and weekday traffic hours aren’t cleaning up garbage from West Windsor’s streets.
They are taking down traffic data from some of West Windsor’s busiest intersections as part of a traffic study being undertaken by InterCap Holdings, a company occupying 25 acres inside the township’s redevelopment zone near the Princeton Junction train station.
The data gathered by the orange-clad crews and traffic-measuring devices will be used to establish a baseline of traffic data for the 350-acre study area, according to InterCap CEO and West Windsor resident Steve Goldin.
Mr. Goldin said Wednesday that the baseline traffic level would then be compared with traffic projections for different development scenarios potentially facing the township in the future.
One projection will show the township what to expect in terms of traffic if the area was developed fully under current zoning, while another will show the township what future traffic flow would look like under a redevelopment plan, Mr. Goldin said.
”The purpose of the study is to let us know what the traffic issues are in the redevelopment area,” Mr. Goldin said.
Originally pumping $185,000 into the traffic study — and a planning process that has repeatedly stalled in the hands of the municipal government — Mr. Goldin said Wednesday that he has expanded the study to include roadways outside of the redevelopment area, costing another $108,000.
Also adding to the cost were additional study items specified by township traffic consultant Gary Davies, Mr. Goldin said.
The expanded study area goes well beyond the redevelopment area, including, for example, South Mill Road’s intersection with Route 571 and Clarksville Road’s intersections with Penn Lyle and North Post roads and Route 571.
He said residents had spoken with him and asked for an expanded study area to provide a more comprehensive picture of the area.
”That is why we’re going out of the redevelopment area,” said Mr. Goldin. “I also drive on those roads every day.”
Mr. Davies and Township Planner John Madden agreed Friday to help the township review the work done by Mr. Goldin’s study team.
Mr. Davies said that, from what he has seen so far, Mr. Goldin’s team is going about the study in a proper way.
”There are no standards for this, but we are reviewing his work and it looks like he is doing all the right things,” Mr. Davies said.
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said he wished the township could have completed the plan on its own, but he would accept the assistance of Mr. Goldin, especially because of concerns over township expenditures.
He also said he was confident about the oversight provided by township consultants, and what that would mean for the validity of the study in the end.
The consultants Mr. Goldin hired to conduct the study are of high quality, Mayor Hsueh said.
”I feel it is important for the township to get involved from the beginning, to provide direction to his study,” said Mayor Hsueh. “I will stay on top of it to make sure the study has the township’s confidence, to use for our final decision.”
Councilwoman Heidi Kleinman said she was optimistic about using traffic data funded by Mr. Goldin, as long as the township professionals signed off on the study’s methodology.
”What I am looking for, is for Gary Davies to write a memo to the council saying he agrees with the methodology and the scope of service,” said Ms. Kleinman. “I support the process of our township professionals overseeing the gathering of this information, and that’s all we’re doing.”
In other redevelopment work, Mr. Goldin said he would present some plans for the Route 571-Main Street area to Township Council on Feb. 23 at the Senior Center.
”We know what has gone on in town,” said Mr. Goldin. “A main street is very important for the township.”
The presentation of a fiscal study for redevelopment and more parking information is also in the pipeline, according to Mr. Goldin.
On the township side, Ms. Kleinman said that Mr. Davies, Mr. Madden, and Land Use Division Manager Sam Surtees are expected to come before Township Council on March 3 to advise on what steps the township should take next in the process.
