To the Editor:

The closing of left turns at Washington Road and Harrison Street on Route One has created gridlock in Princeton. The town already had a traffic problem, given that about a decade ago traffic measurements indicated that it had worse congestion than major Midwestern cities. The recent closings have significantly increased the volume of cars using Alexander Road, a narrow, twisting road not designed to handle even a fraction of the traffic that now crawls along it during the morning and evening rush hours. Hapless commuters to New York City and Philadelphia, people who form a large segment of the Princeton population that has been long abused by New Jersey Transit, are now forced to experience the “service interruptions”, “signal delays,” and “congestion” of the train commute on their way to and from Princeton Junction, before they even board a train. Frustrated and, in some cases, enraged drivers are engaging in dangerous practices such as illegal U-turns and lane crossings and running red lights.

Princeton — its elected officials and its residents — needs to fight back. Concerned citizens can register their displeasure on the township’s website: www.princetontwp.org There is a quick survey that can be accessed by clicking on a link on the front page of the website. Let’s not let fly-by drivers on Route One ruin our quality of life by snarling our roads. After all, residents and would-be residents might decide to put the pedal to the metal and leave Princeton behind. What would happen to tax rates then?

Curtis A. Glovier

Drake’s Corner Road