Road's End Not Reached for Snowden, Sidewalk Discussion Likely to Continue

Matthew Hersh

Snowden Lane residents did not exactly exhale last Tuesday when Township Committee declined to introduce an ordinance that would allow sidewalks to be built on a 1,300-foot stretch of the road.

But they did have reason to believe that before any sidewalk is built, there will be more discussion on the issue that has had some residents exploring legal options. While the roadway is heavily travelled, its appearance has remained somewhat bucolic over the years, and one concern, residents say, is that a sidewalk will take away from the thoroughfare's rural character. With Mayor Phyllis Marchand absent from the vote, committee voted a two-two tie, thus voting down the ordinance introduction. But the two committee people voting against the sidewalk proposal, Bernie Miller and Casey Hegener, left the issue open-ended, expressing the desire to acquire more information, but not necessarily condemning the idea of a sidewalk.

"Welcome to the tension," said Committeeman Bill Hearon, who, along with Deputy Mayor Bill Enslin, voted for the ordinance, in hopes of increasing Princeton's pedestrian connectivity. The area in question, the western side of Snowden between Franklin and Hamilton avenues, has spurred so much debate that it was the focal point of a joint Borough/Township municipal meeting held at Borough Hall last week.

Seventeen properties in all would be affected by the projected sidewalk, five in the Township and 12 in the Borough.

Because most of the homes in question were built in the mid-20th century and have relatively shallow front yards, residents are particularly concerned about the proximity of a sidewalk. Residents have also maintained that the presence of pedestrians on the road lends itself to more cautious driving and that a four-foot sidewalk would, if anything, make the road hazardous by making it seem more spacious than it actually is. It would also, residents worried, reduce property values.

Chris Baldwin, a Borough resident of Snowden Lane, said a sidewalk on this stretch is not needed because it is not a "necessary path" to any of the nearby schools, namely Littlebrook and Riverside elementary schools. He suggested a safer alternative would be Leavitt Lane, which runs parallel to Snowden and is not as heavily travelled.

Residents living on the stretch in question submitted a petition saying other safety measures would be more effective than a sidewalk, including stricter enforcement of the 25-mph speed limit and defining "clearly-marked" two- to four-foot shoulders by making the traffic travel lanes 10-feet wide.

But Township Engineer Robert Kiser said that the municipality must adhere to standards put forth by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and Residential Site-Improvement Standards (RSIS). Both standards include a minimum 12-foot travel lane. Between Franklin and Hamilton, Snowden averages a width of about 25 feet, he said, adding that shoulders or sidewalks must be wide enough for two people to pass, as mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

"A four-foot path is about the minimum you would need for two people to pass," he said. Borough Engineer Carl Peters agreed with Mr. Kiser's assessment saying it would not be "reasonable" for Snowden to go any narrower than its current width, considering the 2,500 and 3,000 per day volume of traffic the road sustains.

"Twenty-five feet is not spacious; it's a narrow road. Look at John Street or Bank Street and you're extremely narrow," he said comparing Snowden to other Borough roads with about 20-foot width.

Essentially an open work session between the two municipalities, the meeting explored possible options for compromise, among them: shifting the road to the east, and making room for a sidewalk on the western portion; installing a grass "plot" instead of a sidewalk; or the aforementioned shoulder installations.

But while Snowden residents feel there are alternative solutions to sidewalk installation, a report recently issued by the Surface Transportation Policy Project (SFPP) finds that increased sidewalk systems in communities can result in enhanced mobility. SFPP is a non-profit, national coalition that includes the Trenton-based New Jersey Future, the state's largest non-profit advocacy group.

The report, "Mean Streets 2004," examined pedestrian access in ten counties, including Mercer, between 1994 and 2003. Its recommendations included upgrading or creating sidewalks, in addition to other traffic-calming methods and enforcement.

Township Police have long maintained that the installation of sidewalks would best suit Snowden, but have, thus far, offered unconvincing evidence to Snowden residents. Citing a week-long traffic study conducted in mid-September, Officer Geoff Maurer of the Township Police Department said that portion of Snowden merited a sidewalk because the 15,150 cars using it created conditions that were hazardous to pedestrians.

He added, however, that "up to this time," there have been no pedestrian/car accidents on the examined part of Snowden.

While Committeewoman Hegener voted against the introduction of an ordinance proposing sidewalks, saying that "neighborhood character trumps everything," Deputy Mayor Enslin said this vote would give committee and residents "ample time for further dialogue." Mr. Kiser, however, said if there were to be a sidewalk construction project, he would like to put it out for contract bidding by January.

Both municipalities have a 50-50 assessment for sidewalk construction. As such, if sidewalks were installed, each Township property would sustain about a $6,000 assessment with Borough propeties shouldering about $12,000.