The advocacy groups argued to the Commission that a full cloverleaf exit at the site would spur sprawl development into the Hopewell Valley considerably beyond the Merrill Lynch site. They pointed to open space near Mercer County airport and another 100 open acres on the other side of I-95. The Campaign argued that before more parkland is bought, exchanged or sold, rules should be put in place to ensure that such parcels are not developed for highways and that NJ DOT's right-of-way purchase program be examined with an eye toward reducing sprawl.

The parkland slated for the ramps would have been "swapped" for preservation of a larger parcel elsewhere, but advocates say the large parcel has been on Mercer County's open space acquisition list for some time.

State Senator Leonard Lance, who represents the Hopewell Valley and sits on the Commission, urged Hopewell to look again at its support for the exchange. The Merrill Lynch project is controversial because, as a classic sprawl site, it requires the new highway access and a costly sewer extension from Trenton.