Wednesday, April 11, 2007

The Traffic Signal Population Explosion

Traffic signals seem to be increasing at some type of geometric rate in Hillsborough.

Not that long ago – maybe 10 years - you could get to the Borough of Millstone from Route 206 by heading east on Amwell Road from the Route 514 [Amwell Road]/206 traffic light until you reached the next traffic light - just before you cross the river. Now you leave 206, go through the lights at Pineywoods Drive, Royce Brook Road, Willow Road, Amsterdam Drive, and the Millstone River Road Extension – five additional lights in a three-mile stretch – before you get to Millstone.

The addition of a traffic light can change the whole character of an area. Anyone who has lived along the Willow Road corridor for more than a few years has noticed the increase in car traffic that occurred when the traffic lights at Amwell Road/Willow Road and Hillsborough Road/Willow Road were added. It didn’t take long for the commuters to find this alternate route to the highway.

Last night there was a Township Committee resolution authorizing the payment of annual electrical costs for the operation of a traffic signal at Route 206 and Homestead Road.

This new light will add another usable cross road to the highway from Willow Road. Until the early 1990s Homestead Road was a gravel road lined with a few farms and a small industrial area at the end near 206. I’m not sure what makes this location a candidate for yet another traffic light except for some trucks exiting the industrial area.

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I was going to provide more information about the Willow Road shortcut for those not familiar with the area, but I changed my mind. Hah.

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