With the draft environmental impact statement for Route 92 due from the U.S. Army Corps this spring, a group of seven central New Jersey officials have organized to voice continued opposition to the highway. The officials – mayors from Rocky Hill, Hopewell, Franklin, South Brunswick, Montgomery, Manville and Middlesex County Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula – told press last week that they don’t want Route 92 constructed.

The NJ Turnpike Authority encountered strong opposition several years ago when it announced plans for Route 92, a new 6.7-mile highway through Middlesex County. The highway is estimated to cost $350 million to build, which could require a toll increase.After efforts by central New Jersey mayors, citizen groups, and the Tri-State Campaign, due to significant wetlands impacts, U.S. EPA mandated a full environmental impact statement.Route 92 would extend from New Jersey Turnpike Interchange 8A to Route 1 at Ridge Road in South Brunswick.

“Route 92 will clog Route 1 to the south of Ridge Road and flood two lane roads to the west with car and truck traffic, worsening traffic flow,” Rocky Hill Mayor Brian Nolan told reporters.

“Our town should not be seen as a throughway for highway traffic,” said Hopewell Mayor Jon Edwards.“Other options, such as improving existing roads or looking into rail development, would be a much better investment for central New Jersey.The last thing we need during these though financial times is to cut through the region with an expensive and unpopular highway.This is an older type of solution — just building more roads,” Edwards said.

Route 92, in addition to destroying open space and farmland, would have a domino effect in central New Jersey, inviting more congestion, trucks and sprawl to the area.The officials hope that an avowed anti-sprawl Governor and new leadership at the Turnpike Authority will lead the state to let go of the project.

Spotlight on Rte. 92's Unanswered Questions (March 10, 2000)

Central New Jersey Echoes EPA on Route 92 (Oct. 16, 1998)

Route 92: the Sprawl Superhighway (April 17, 1998)

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