In response to a letter from a group of central New Jersey mayors, Governor James McGreevey has said he will not take a position on construction of Route 92 until the draft environmental impact statement is completed. According to the South Brunswick Post, the mayors had asked the Governor to publicly oppose and halt the proposed 6.7-mile toll highway that would link Route 1 to Turnpike Exit 8A, and slice through the largest remaining parcel of open space in that part of Middlesex County.

The draft environmental impact statement for Route 92 – which was mandated by the U.S. EPA after pressure from citizen groups, municipal leaders and the Tri-State Transportation Campaign – is due out in September, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.  The Central New Jersey officials hope that new leadership at the Turnpike Authority and pressure from Governor McGreevey, who has voiced strong anti-sprawl sentiments, will lead the state to abandon the project. 

The NJ Turnpike Authority has encountered opposition to Route 92 since it announced plans to construct the new highway through Middlesex County, on a section of land designated under the State Plan as part of New Jersey’s “Environmentally Sensitive Planning Area.” The affected area is the second largest of Middlesex County's land designated as environmentally sensitive (MTR #170). 

Route 92 is an example of the kind of expensive, sprawl-inducing highway project that continue to drain transportation coffers while worsening congestion problems.  The $350 million slated for Route 92 is a major financial burden that affects not only the Turnpike Authority, but drivers – who may be required to pay higher tolls – and other transportation projects, which receive funding from the Turnpike’s contribution to the Transportation Trust Fund. 

In addition to destroying open space and farmland, Route 92 would have a domino effect in central New Jersey, inviting more congestion, trucks and sprawl to the area. Middlesex officials are particularly concerned about the influx of traffic that Route 92 would bring to local roads. 

“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 press in April, when a group of Central New Jersey officials organized to oppose Route 92 (MTR #359). 

The mayors of Hopewell, Franklin, Montgomery, Manville Townships and Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula also voiced opposition to Route 92. 

Much of Middlesex Firm Against Route 92 (April 1, 2002)

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

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