Mercer County has received approval from the Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission for installation of a crosswalk and pedestrian-activated beacons at the Washington Road crossing, which is  heavily used by pedestrians and cyclists.

This was the final step in a lengthy approval process, which, due to the proximity of proposed safety devices to the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Towpath and the potential visual impacts on the elm allee, required approval from the State Historic Preservation Office.  Approvals and input from the Princeton Historic Preservation Office, Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission and Princeton University were also required.  

“The county has been steadfast in pushing for this necessary safety upgrade, and I’m pleased that we have the green light to move forward, and I thank all the entities for advancing the project,” said Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes. “The work will be done in-house by our Mercer County Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, and my expectation is that the flashers and crosswalks will be completed by the end of this year.”

The Delaware and Raritan Canal crossing at Washington Road (CR 571) is one of the most heavily used at-grade crossings in Mercer County.  In October of 2014, two pedestrians were struck where the towpath crosses Washington Road, a County route.  In response, both the Municipality of Princeton and Township of West Windsor adopted resolutions supporting pedestrian safety enhancements.  Mercer County subsequently adopted an ordinance formally establishing a Mid-Block Crosswalk at the Washington Road crossing and initiated the approval process to install a high-visibility crosswalk and pedestrian-activated beacons.

Due to the roadway alignment and relatively high travel speeds approaching the crossing, Mercer County proposed mounting one of the flasher assemblies over the roadway.  The other assembly would be post mounted.  In keeping with the historic character of the area, the hardware will be powder-coated black.

A resolution to authorize the project will go before the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

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