Critics of the proposed Route 92, a 6.7 mile, four lane NJ Turnpike spur proposed for one of central New Jersey’s most environmentally sensitive areas, received good news earlier this week when the New Jersey Turnpike Authority removed the project’s funding.  Only $6 million remains in a dedicated Route 92 fund, all of which is expected to pay for unpaid debts the project has created. The Tri-State Campaign has fought Route 92 for about a decade.

   Opponents of the project celebrated last week.  South Brunswick Mayor Frank Gambatese dumped a box of “NO92” pins in the trash, saying he wouldn’t need them anymore.

   While congratulations are due all around, there’s the old New Jersey saying: “No road is ever dead until it is built.” Turnpike Authority Executive Director Mike LaPolla told some news outlets that widening a southern section of the Turnpike is the agency’s top priority, but Route 92 may be revisited in the future.

   One way to ensure Route 92 is not resurrected. is for the legislature to pass a bill (A.1957/S.854) introduced by Assemblyman Bill Baroni and Senator Peter Inverso that would revoke the Turnpike Authority’s authorization to build the highway.  The Assembly Transportation Committee chairman John Wisniewski said he would not hold a hearing on the bill until after the Army Corps of Engineers releases its final environmental impact statement. 

   The Army Corps has not returned calls seeking information on when the EIS might be released.

   The Turnpike Authority transferred the Route 92 money into an account for a project to widen the Turnpike between exits 6 and 8A.  We urge that the land use implications of such a project be closely considered in its environmental review.  It would be appropriate in this day and age for the Turnpike Authority to acknowledge and adapt the NJ DOT’s new emphasis on town building and smart growth in considering how its actions affect the world beyond the edge of the pavement. 

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