Smoother Roads and Better Traffic Control Reduce the Stress of Driving.

There is still a long way to go, and a lot of bumpy pavements to fix in Bridgewater Township.  Yet, despite the fiscal constraints under which the Township is operating, the Administration has moved ahead by repaving some of the more badly damaged sections of Bridgewater’s roads. 

New traffic lights are being installed at the intersection

 of Foothill Road and Mine Road in Bridgewater.

 (Bergeron Image.)

It has also focused its attention upon remedying what was progressively becoming a very hazardous intersection.

Mine Road, as its winds its way in a serpentine fashion down the shoulder of the First Watchung Mountain to its terminus where it meets Foothill Road, forming a perpendicular intersection with the latter, has long presented a blind spot to all drivers at that location. 

Example:  A vehicle making a turn from the bottom of Mine Road may proceed to the left or the right.   Negotiating a left turn has become especially perilous.


A driver proceeding in that fashion has to risk getting into an accident by moving too far onto Foothill Road to see oncoming cars, especially those that are moving easterly on Foothill.  Many of those drivers exceed the speed limit and won’t yield the right-of-way to a vehicle which has already entered the intersection.

Traffic control lights have long been needed at that spot. 

Voilà!  A wish comes true. 

On Tuesday, as I was heading down Mine Road – destination Somerville – I could  see newly installed traffic signals coming into view at the  bottom of Foothill Road.  There is still related roadwork to do:  But the intersection has already been widened, drainage is installed at both corners, and it looks like only a final paving has to be laid before the lights go into action. 

A view of the newly repaved Brown Road,

as it makes its way north in a

 straight line to Washington Valley Road.

 (Bergeron Image.)

Another project is now complete:  Brown Road from Papen Road to Washington Valley Road has morphed into a smooth, quiet ribbon of asphalt – quite an improvement from the suspension-jarring surface which it was just a few weeks ago. 

A tip of the hat to the Bridgewater Township Administration, as well as to the operating departments that made those improvements a reality.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to capture a piece of those lazy, crazy, hazy days of summer.

  

(Click on any image for an enhanced view.)