County Previews Upcoming Amwell Road Construction Work

Work on the Amwell Road reconstruction project is expected to begin later this year. Graphic: Somerset County Engineer

Sometime near the end of 2020, a 1.25-mile stretch of Amwell Road will look different than it does today.

That’s because the road will be widened, repaved and have added to it ample shoulders for bicycle lanes.

The project was previewed March 28 in the Township Council chamber by members of the Somerset County Engineering Department. They were available for residents to ask questions and get more information on the project.

Starting at Wortman Road in East Millstone and stretching to just past Elizabeth Avenue, the $4 million project is slated to begin later this year, said County Engineer Matthew Loper.

The project entails taking up the current road, extending it an average of five feet on either side and improving the drainage, he said.

“The purpose is to improve traffic safety on the roadway,” he said. “We’ve had several operational problems contributing to numerous accidents along the corridor.”

The road now averages between 24- and 26-feet wide, he said. The reconstruction will result in two 11-foot-wide travel lanes and two 7-foot-wide shoulders, he said.

“So we’re widening the road, not adding any lanes, just widening the road,” he said. “We’re going to improve drainage along the road and we’re also going to modify and upgrade the two signals at Mettler’s and Elizabeth Avenue to state and federal standards.”

The road will be widened to 46 feet at the two intersections, according to information posted about the project.

The widening project is designed to “aid with accident avoidance and aid in turning movements onto side streets and driveways,” according to the department’s web site. “The improvements will address roadway deficiencies such as horizontal and vertical curvature impacting line of sight, pavement condition, and storm runoff collection that increase the risk of motor vehicle accidents.”

There will also be bike lanes in each direction, conforming to the township’s Master Plan, Loper said.

Some property acquisition is needed for the project, he said. Loper said that is just about complete.

Loper said the project will go out to bid later in the year, when construction most likely will start, It will pick up again next spring and likely last through the end of 2020, he said.

Amwell in that section will not be closed for the construction, he said.

“We’re not closing the road except for a couple parts of it at night, so the majority of the project is going to be done with one lane in each direction, staged construction to allow traffic to be maintained,” he said. “It’s a busy road, so we can’t just close the road while we do the project, so we have to do the project while the road is open, which really does lengthen the project.”

“We’re looking forward to improving this road,” he said.

More information on the project can be found here.

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