Allen Road Intersection To Undergo Safety Improvements, Public Input Sought

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Safety improvements are coming to the intersection of Allen Road and Somerville Road in Bernards Township. But before things can get rolling Somerset County is hosting a Public Information Center to inform the community about the project.

"The purpose of this Public Information Center is to inform the public of the project’s progress to date, its purpose and need, and to solicit public input and comments relating to the concepts developed for Allen Road and Somerville Road intersection in Bernards Township," according to Somerset County.

The project is still in its preliminary stages. The county has received a grant for work at the intersection and needs to hold a public hearing before getting started, according to Bernards Township Engineer Thomas Timko.

The project is looking to improve safety, according to Somerset County Spokesman Nathan Rudy.

Due to the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting will be held virtually on Thursday, June 9 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The meeting is being hosted by Somerset County, in cooperation with the Township of Bernards, the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, the New Jersey Department of Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration.

Following the presentation, the public is invited and encouraged to ask questions or to provide comments by e-mail to the County.

• Date: Thursday, June 9, 2022
• Time: 7 to 7:45 p.m. Virtual Presentation
• 7:45 to 8:30 p.m. Questions & Answers
• Place: GoToMeeting
• Please login 5 or 10 minutes early to ensure your connection works. The following link and call-in number are your options for participation:
  • Join by meeting link: https://meet.goto.com/65977581...
  • Join by phone link: United States: +1 (872) 240-3311; Access Code: 659-775-813

For more information contact: Alicia C. Meyers at 908-231-7024 or MeyersA@co.somerset.nj.us.

Safety Concerns

Over the years, there have been a number of crashes and even a death on Allen Road raising safety concerns among residents.

Most recently on April 13, a 71-year-old man was hospitalized with serious injuries after being hit by an SUV on Allen Road and Hamilton Road. Read More: Pedestrian Hit By Car In Basking Ridge, Hospitalized

A bicyclist was hit in 2019 and one person was killed in 2016. In October 2016, residents started a petition and raised safety concerns after a man was killed by a car while crossing Liberty Ridge Road at Allen Road.

Doug Dolgin, who started a petition to install multiple traffic signals on the road, was also hit by a car on Dec. 15, 2015. Read More: Traffic Light Proposed At Deadly Basking Ridge Intersection

Dolgin was hit by a speeding car on Allen Road at the intersection of Patriot Hill/Hamilton Woods. He suffered a severely damaged left leg, requiring five major surgeries in 14 days and his two dogs were killed, Dolgin wrote change.org.

After hearing concerns from residents, the township asked Somerset County to conduct a pedestrian safety and vehicle speed study on Allen Road. Read More: Is Allen Road Dangerous? County Conducts Study

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