The DOT ideas to improve traffic flow on Route 1 in West Windsor must be a joke. Preventing northbound motorists from exiting at Washington or Harrison to get to Princeton and having them continue to Scudders Mill Road and turn around doubles the traffic. They will have to drive twice through the greatest congestion area — first north and then come back south to go to Princeton.
Lengthening the lights to enter Route 1 is a worse idea. It will back up Washington Road to Nassau Street in Princeton and the train station in Princeton Junction during busy times. The DOT needs to study Washington Road traffic during rush hour or after a large Princeton activity.
The problem is that too many motorists want to go to Princeton or Princeton Junction. This means one lane is always backed up with people entering or leaving Route 1. The solution is to make three through lanes in each direction. The fourth lane in each direction should be used for all entering and exiting. This eight-lane roadway needs to be extended without squeezing from Meadow Road to College Road.
If the DOT narrows it, the squeezing together always creates a traffic jam. The perfect example of a designed traffic jam is Northbound on Route 1 at Washington Road. Drivers entering at Alexander Road (four lanes) must merge with northbound drivers exiting at Washington (three lanes).
I suggest all future DOT traffic studies be conducted between 8 and 9 a.m. and 5 and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday on school days only.
Don Swanson
Stanford Place
Princeton Junction
