Daily traffic nightmare at the Somerville Circle.

Two weeks ago, me and my brother picked up our sister from the Newark airport. While coming back, he said he preferred Route 22 because it was as fast as I-78 while being shorter. I didn't believe him then at all.

Today, I dropped off my sister at the airport. While coming back, I realized that my brother was right. Route I-78 West was ok. But as soon as I arrived on I-287 South, I hit the traffic. At first, it was a slow down. A quarter mile later, it was stand still. Soon I figured out it was Route 206 South that was causing the back up on I-287 South. It was probably the Somerville Circle that caused the back up all the way to the I-287/I-78 intersection.

After waiting about 15 minutes, I took the right lane on I-287 to go on towards Bound Brook so I could get off on Route 28. I drove only half a mile before I got stuck again. Another 15 minutes were gone before I reached the exit.

All the while, I was wondering what do the NJDOT do to keep themselves busy. They do not seem to be doing anything these days. Whenever they design something, they come up with something really cheap that does not resolve issues.

I was also wondering why on earth the townships around the Somerville Circle accepted the overpass design. If it is backing up traffic all they way to I-78, then there is something terribly wrong with the design. And are they aware of the problem? If so, what are they doing to resolve this?

I really admire the New Brunswick township administration for rejecting a few years ago a cheap U.S. 1/U.S. 130 intersection design offered by NJDOT and making the NJDOT come up with something better.

Route 206 Bypass - 40 Years in Making

Would you believe it? The Route 206 bypass was first proposed in 1974! And it is still nowhere near completion. The Montgomery township was the major culprit in its delay and the reduction of lanes in Montgomery. In fact, the highway would remain a two-lane highway in Montgomery for a few miles ever after the project completion. While the bypass was being planned, Montgomery kept building right where the bypass was supposed to be, and then claimed the bypass was passing through the development. The DOT was forced to divert the bypass and reduce the number of lanes. Now, after all this, we will have just two lanes and more signals. Hillsborough accepted the plan saying, 'Something is better than nothing.'

This is what the Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_206)  says about the bypass:

Since 1974, a bypass has been planned for the congested part of US 206 through Hillsborough. In 2002, the NJDOT modified plans for the bypass. The bypass is to be mostly four lanes wide and run to the east of Hillsborough, with the southernmost portion only being two lanes; one interchange was planned with CR 514. The road is to meet a Smart Growth goal by preserving land and eliminating two planned interchanges that would have increased congestion. In July 2009, it was announced that construction of the US 206 Hillsborough bypass, which is projected to cost $148 million, would start in 2010. On June 24, 2010, a contract was given to Carbro Constructors Corporation to build the first phase between CR 514 and Hillsborough Road. Construction on this portion, planned to cost $43 million, began on August 18, 2010 with completion planned for 2012. The remaining segments are planned to be bid on in 2012 with the entire bypass completed in 2015.

A legislation sponsored by Sen. Christopher "Kip" Bateman and Assembly members Jack Ciattarelli and Donna Simon was approved in May 2013 to dedicate the Route 206 bypass to late Assemblyman Peter Biondi, who served the 16th district in the Assembly for 14 years before his death on November 2011. He was a major force behind the Route 206 bypass project.

The following link has the proposed bypass map:

http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/community/meetings/documents/handout061307CF_002.pdf

Route 206: Innumerable speed zones

How many speed zones are there on Route 206 in Somerset County?

http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/traffic_orders/speed/rt206.shtm

In Somerset County:
	NOTE: State Highway Route US 206 is coincident with State Highway Route US 202 from approximate mileposts 71.64 to 78.32.
	i. In the Township of Montgomery:
(1)	For both directions of traffic:
	(A) Zone 1: 40 MPH between the Princeton Township – Montgomery Township corporate line (Cherry Valley Road) and Sycamore Lane (approximate mileposts 57.23 to 58.56); thence
	(B) Zone 2: 45 MPH between Sycamore Lane and Orchard Road (approximate mileposts 58.56 to 59.10); thence
	(C) Zone 3: 50 MPH between Orchard Road and 240 feet south of Rutland Road (approximate mileposts 59.10 to 60.94); thence
	(D) Zone 4: 45 MPH between 240 feet south of Rutland Road and 1,175 feet north of Harlingen Road (approximate mileposts 60.94 to 61.55); thence
	(E) Zone 5: 50 MPH between 1,175 feet north of Harlingen Road and 100 feet south of Township Line Road (approximate mileposts 61.55 to 62.61); thence
	(F) Zone 6: 40 MPH between 100 feet south of Township Line Road and the Montgomery Township - Hillsborough Township corporate line (approximately mileposts 62.61 to 63.06); thence
	ii. In the Township of Hillsborough:
(1)	For both directions of traffic:
	(A) Zone 1: 45 MPH between the Montgomery Township - Hillsborough Township corporate line and Raider Boulevard (approximate mileposts 63.06 to 64.81); thence
	(B) Zone 2: 40 MPH between Raider Boulevard and Old Somerville Road (approximate mileposts 64.81 to 66.29); thence
	(C) Zone 3: 45 MPH between Old Somerville Road and Brooks Boulevard (approximate mileposts 66.29 to 68.74); thence
	(D) Zone 4: 55 MPH between Brooks Boulevard and the Hillsborough Township – Somerville Borough corporate line (approximate mileposts 68.74 to 69.77); thence
	iii. In the Borough of Somerville:
(1)	For both directions of traffic:
	(A) Zone 1: 50 MPH between the Hillsborough Township - Somerville Borough corporate line and Orlando Drive (approximate mileposts 69.77 to 70.60); thence
	(B) Zone 2: 40 MPH between Orlando Drive and Somerville Borough - Raritan Borough corporate line (approximate mileposts 70.60 to 70.71); thence
	iv. In the Borough of Raritan:
(1)	For both directions of traffic:
	(A) Zone 1: 40 MPH between the Somerville Borough-Raritan Borough corporate line and the northernmost Raritan Borough – Somerville Borough corporate line (Route US 202-Route US 206-Route NJ 28 traffic circle) (approximate mileposts 70.71 to 71.64); thence
	NOTE: Route US 206 is coincident with Route US 202 (approximate mileposts 24.43 to 31.51) from approximate mileposts 71.64 to 78.32.  See Route US 202-206 for speed limits in this section; thence
	v. In the Township of Bedminster:
(1)	For both directions of traffic:
	(A) Zone 1: 50 MPH between the end of coincidence with Route US 202 and Lamington Road (County Route 523) (approximate mileposts 78.32 to 78.93, using Route US 206 mileposts; thence
	(B) Zone 2: 45 MPH between Lamington Road (County Route 523) and 1,100 feet north of Ski Hill Drive (approximate mileposts 78.93 to 80.20); thence
	(C) Zone 3: 50 MPH between 1,100 feet north of Ski Hill Drive and the southernmost Bedminster Township - Peapack-Gladstone Borough corporate line (approximate mileposts 80.20 to 80.22); thence
	(D) Zone 4: 50 MPH between the northernmost Peapack-Gladstone Borough – Bedminster Township corporate line and the Bedminster Township – Chester Township corporate line (approximate mileposts 82.30 to 83.14); thence
	vi. In the Borough of Peapack-Gladstone:
(1)	For both directions of traffic:
	(A) Zone 1: 50 MPH between the southernmost Peapack-Gladstone Borough – Bedminster Township corporate line and the northernmost Peapack-Gladstone Borough – Bedminster Township corporate line (approximate mileposts 80.22 to 82.30);

Somerset County Roads Suck

I started this blog today after spending two hours trying in the morning all sorts of roads to travel 33 miles of my daily commute from Somerville to Trenton. The Millstone River bridges were closed because of flooding, which happens at least two times a year. The Route 206 South as well as the River Road was jammed for a mile.

Somerset County is listed in the top 10 of the  Forbes list of the wealthiest counties. I am sure it tops the list of the worst counties in NJ for traffic.

Is there any hope? Not much. I don't see any traffic improvement work anywhere in the county. The only thing I saw recently was they added a few hundred of an extra lane on Route 22 East in Bridgewater. And they are building an overpass on Route 22 for Chimney Rock Road in Bridgewater.

Anybody see anything else happening to improve the roads?

Disappointment of probably 30 years: They planned, fought in the courts for over 30 years. They started widening the Route 206. Then everything stopped. While they were planning, Montgomery was building right where the road was planned. Now what happened? The highway will not be widened for a few miles in Montgomery whenever it gets widened. Oh yeah, they are building a few overpasses in Hillsborough for the Route 206 bypass. Will it help?