DOT Plans Major Work for Rt. 18

The state Department of Transportation is in the planning stages of two projects targeted at making life easier for those traveling on and around Route 18.

The DOT is in the process of designing a plan for major improvements to the Route 18 bridge over Route 18, and is planning to repave and improve drainage along the highway from the NJ Turnpike to Rues Lane.

According to DOT Spokesman Timothy Greeley, improvements at Route 1 are in the design stage and include widening the Route 18 northbound bridge at Route 1 by one lane to create an acceleration/deceleration lane for the ramps to and from Route 1. The widening is expected to allow the existing lane to be used as a third, through lane on northbound Route 18, eliminating a merge conflict between Route 18 northbound traffic and NJ Turnpike traffic, according to the proposal.

The DOT has set aside $700,000 to design the project and expects to request an additional $20 million for construction costs in 2014.

The DOT also is planning a pavement and drainage project along Route 18 from the NJ Turnpike to Rues Lane.  The DOT will request $1 million in fiscal year 2013 for preliminary engineering on the project, $1 million in 2014 for design work, $1 million in 2015 for Right of Ways, and $13.2 million in 2017 for construction.

Mayor David Stahl told the Township Council on Monday that the DOT has asked for a resolution supporting the work before it begins.

“This is federally funded, so there is no money from East Brunswick. It’s two years from even going out, but they’re looking for support from the municipality,” he said.

Mayor Stahl said he insisted that work occur at night and that there is no shut down of the road during the project.

“There will be no taking of property, and we will do anything we can do to mitigate any impact on anybody,” he said.

Greeley said the DOT also has plans for the Edgeboro Road, Route 18 intersection. The project is tentatively scheduled for 2019.

According to a proposal, left turn movement from westbound Edgeboro Road onto Route 18 south will be eliminated. Left turns would only be permitted from Edgeboro Road westbound onto Old Bridge Turnpike, with traffic traveling to Route 18 and Tices Lane.

The eastbound approach of the reverse jug handle at its intersection with Old Bridge Turnpike would also be modified to consist of one through lane to both Edgeboro Road and Old Bridge Turnpike and one through lane dedicated to Old Bridge Turnpike.

The DOT expects to begin preliminary engineering of the project in 2014, design work in 2016, Right of Way work in 2017 and construction in 2019.