By Matthew Hersh
Crocuses are usually an early sign of warmer weather, but in Princeton and towns all over New Jersey the real harbinger of spring could be the restart of road improvement projects, halted in their tracks at the onset of the polar vortex.
The deep freeze that has taken over the region will subside modestly this week as temperatures once again climb to above freezing, potentially resulting in trucks revived from their winter slumber.
The Princeton Department of Engineering estimates that much of the stalled roadwork will continue in late February or early March, as much of the remaining work depends on above freezing temperatures.
“The winter weather does not allow for it,” said James Purcell, assistant municipal engineer.
While emergency repairs can still be done in subfreezing temperatures, asphalt temperatures, equipment malfunctions, safety and labor hazards, and subpar outcomes can add to a project’s cost and lower overall quality.
Improvements to Mount Lucas Road from Stuart Road East to Poor Farm Road is among the paused projects, Purcell said. The contractor on the project, Earle Asphalt Co., is scheduled to return around early March to complete construction, Purcell said.
The pathway between Stuart Road East and Poor Farm Road is temporarily closed to pedestrians. Pedestrians are advised to use the detour to the path on Bunn Drive. Vehicular traffic will alternate between Stuart Road East and Poor Farm Road, Purcell said.
“Mount Lucas Road will restart when the weather is cooperative, and while we don’t have a date yet, we hope to restart within the next few weeks. Having only one or two days of above-freezing weather is not conducive to mobilizing and then demobilizing,” Purcell added.
Benefiting from a New Jersey Department of Transportation Municipal Aid grant, Mount Lucas Road’s improvements include curbing, the extension of the eight-foot-wide pathway, enhanced storm drainage, green infrastructure, roadway paving, and new signage and pavement striping.
National Water Main, the contractor heading up the rehabilitation efforts for the Mini-System #36 sanitary sewer system, will continue construction on its sanitary sewer main project. Mini-System #36 serves a broad region between and including John Street to the west, Ewing Street to the east, Mount Lucas Road to the north, and Quarry Street to the south. The project goal aims to reduce the amount of clean groundwater that enters the sanitary sewer system, which would reduce the costs associated with wastewater treatment, according to the project’s description.
Areas of construction include Walnut Lane, Terhune Road, Valley Road, Jefferson Road, Harris Road, Ewing Street, and Guyot Avenue. Purcell said residents can expect alternating traffic and occasional road closures.
Finally, work to improve the Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve footbridges has paused. The contractor, Colonnelli Brothers, is scheduled to return by early March to continue and complete construction. Purcell noted that the red trail and green trail bridges are temporarily closed to pedestrians.
Extreme cold temperatures can also result in water main breaks, but Princeton has not experienced anything significant this season, Purcell said. New Jersey American Water, which provides Princeton’s water service, is installing new service lines on South Harrison Street to connect homes to the new main. That work, said Purcell, is on hold, but could begin again this week.