Some short-term “fixes” to Easton Avenue traffic issues my be put in place before major reconstruction work is set to begin later this decade.

That was the upshot from a May 20 forum on safety issues with the township’s busiest road, hosted by Township Councilman James Vassanella (D-Ward 5).

Vassanella was joined by members of a committee formed to look at the issues on the road which spans from the New Brunswick border to a Route 287 interchange.

Among those attending the forum were Township Manager Robert Vornlocker; township Public Works Director Carl Hauck; Paul McCall, director of Somerset County’s public works department, Public Safety Director Quovella Maeweather, FTPD Lt. Brandon Domotor, and Mark Healey, the Township’s principal planner.

The committee’s work was done under the shadow of two major improvement projects for the corridor that are still in their investigatory stages: a County improvement project slated to begin in 2031, and a federal program, set to begin in 2027, for reconstruction of the DeMott Lane/Easton Avenue intersection.

The committee came up with eight categories of suggested improvements, some of which, Vornlocker said, could probably be put into place before the major construction work begins.

Vassanella said he began talking to residents who live on or near Easton Avenue about 18 months ago, after he noticed – post Covid-19 – what seemed to be an uptick in congestion, accidents, truck traffic and the road’s overall condition.

“The main purpose of the meeting here is to present what many people who regularly drive the corridor believe are the main problems that the town and the county, working together, can improve upon,” he said.

“Improvements that are less complicated, much less costly and can be implemented in the short-term as compared to the major costly and longer-term projects that involve state and federal government,” Vassanella said.

“We’re trying to be pro-active. We’re talking about things we can do, what I call short-term for modest cost,” he said.

The eight categories created by the committee are:

• Drivers making left turns from and to Easton Avenue at certain spots, and right-on-red turns from certain intersections.
• Drivers speeding, not using blinkers, texting, illegal lane changes, reckless and overly aggressive driving.
• Signage issues: Many signs are bent, faded, outdated, too small, blocked or partially blocked by vegetation, hard or impossible to read at night, etc.
• There are little or no signs or road markings, that indicate some of the entrances and exists for strip-malls and other businesses.
• Illegal signs attached to utility poles, government installed road signage and signal poles. Illegal commercial signs, flags, banners, etc.
• Problems with sightlines for people turning onto Easton Ave from side roads.
• Parts of the pathways, sidewalks etc., especially on the south side of Easton are in desperate need of repair and/or upgrading, and in need of proper lighting.
• There are a lot of people that go somewhat unnoticed, who utilize the Easton Ave Corridor by walking, biking, scootering, or pushing a stroller, to get to work, the grocery store, the dentist, etc. Because of their financial means, they do not have a vehicle or second vehicle in their household to utilize. Even if they are hesitant to use Easton Ave. because of the inherent dangers, they have no other practical choice.

Some of the suggested remedies are the Township’s responsibility, Vornlocker said.

“There are things that we can do,” he said. “It’s not that we can do all of those things. But there are some that we can do rather easily, and that’s something that after tonight, people … will be able to address some of these things.”

“Understand that some of them, while they might be interesting suggestions, may not be permitted by law. That’s for us to hash out,” he said.

McCall, who said he was there representing the Somerset County Board of Commissioners, said the County would look into some of the issues brought up.

“As far as signage, speed limit signs and those types of things, we are going to look into all of those … and make the changes necessary to make it safer for the driving public and the residents,” he said.