The University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro will not open for another nine months, but a chronic central New Jersey problem — traffic — is already being addressed. During a webinar on Monday, August 22, Princeton HealthCare CEO Barry S. Rabner addressed questions centered around serving the community, both at the hospital and through the new facility’s planning and construction.
Traffic, Rabner conceded, poses some serious concerns, especially since hospitals routinely deal with emergency situations where every second counts. “Route 1 is clearly a problem,” said Rabner, and so are some of the other roads nearby.
But, he added, the hospital is taking proactive steps to help potential patients. Rabner said drivers or those in an emergency vehicle going from Princeton on Harrison Street toward Route 1 will find it easier to navigate. The DOT has begun construction on that section of road, and by next year’s hospital opening the Harrison Street intersection on Route 1 will have a right turn lane, become wider, and feature shoulders.
Getting past rush hour crowds will still be sticky, but emergency vehicles will soon have the ability to control the traffic light at Harrison Street when necessary. The same control system for traffic lights at Harrison Street will also be introduced for lights north and south of Route 1.
“As they approach they will turn the traffic light green so cars can pull over or go through the intersection,” Rabner said.
According to NJDOT engineers the changes will reduce wait time at Harrison Street from a worst case scenario nine light cycle changes to 1.5 light change cycles.
Rabner, citing $3 million in off-site road improvements, says traffic to and from Princeton will be improved as more plans are in place to accommodate emergency vehicles.
“If you’re going north on Route 1 past Plainsboro Road there’s actually a curb cut on Route 1 that will be available only to emergency vehicles. It will allow them to go through and turn directly into the emergency department.” Patients are scheduled to be transferred over to the new hospital on May 22.
