To the Editor:
With students returning to school, the members of Walk Bike Princeton would like to reaffirm our commitment to road safety and making Princeton a great place for people to walk and bike safely. We welcome the return of a crossing guard at South Harrison Street and Prospect Avenue, the increased efforts of Princeton police to enforce traffic laws, and the newly completed shared paths at Cherry Hill Road and Mt. Lucas Road.
Safe street design is a key part of ensuring road safety, so we urge Council to maintain and build on the improvements to North Harrison Street. The project advances Princeton’s Bicycle Mobility Master Plan and has two key components: a road diet that reduced traffic from two lanes to one lane in each direction, and striped bicycle lanes that repurposed the additional roadway space. The road diet provides important traffic-calming benefits. The previous four-lane roadway encouraged higher speeds, more lane changing, and conflicts. The current configuration is safer and better separates cyclists and pedestrians from moving traffic.
The purpose of a pilot is to learn what works, identify problems, and use that experience and data to develop a safer and better permanent design. The current bicycle lanes provide a level of protection and traffic calming that did not previously exist on North Harrison. They may need adjustment, but problems with a few details of the design are reasons to improve the pilot, not abandon it. Removing the current lanes would involve spending money for a less safe design.
We also support the planned sidewalks along Terhune Road and safety improvements to the Terhune–North Harrison intersection. Hundreds of housing units have been built or are planned in that neighborhood, many with limited parking. Those Princeton residents also need safe, practical alternatives to driving, including continuous sidewalks and bike lanes. A well-designed single-lane roundabout at Terhune and North Harrison would slow vehicles while maintaining traffic flow and providing safer crossings for pedestrians and cyclists.
Walk Bike Princeton organized a group ride along the North Harrison Street bike lanes earlier this year, and participants agreed that the new bike lanes meaningfully increased safety. We should continue investing in improved road layouts that make walking and cycling a safe and desirable alternative to driving.