Washington Valley Road Reconstruction To Begin Tree Removal

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Tree removal will be underway this week as part of the reconstruction of Washington Valley Road (County Route 616) from Chimney Rock Road (CR 525) to 700’ east of Eastbrook Road in Bridgewater Township.

The roadway will be closed during daytime work hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. A detour will be posted directing vehicles south to Route 22 or north to use Mt. Horeb Road, Somerset County announced Monday.

Other working days during the weeks of Sept. 17 and Sept. 24 will include having a single lane closed around work zone areas using police flaggers between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Drivers should expect delays.

The county's reconstruction project was due to several operational problems that caused traffic accidents along the corridor and roadway condition maintenance.

The goals of the road work are to make the road safer and more effective by improving intersections and adding shoulders to aid with accident avoidance, aid in turning movements onto side streets and driveways, and to carry storm water to a new storm sewer system, the county stated.

The improvements will address roadway deficiencies such as severe vertical curvature and steep slopes at side streets that impact line of sight, lack of shoulders, irregular pavement cross slopes, and storm runoff collection that increase the risk of motor vehicle accidents, according to the county.

Along the approximately 1.3 miles of roadway, curbs will be installed along both sides of the roadway and the width will be 30-feet to provide for two lanes, each 11-feet wide with two paved shoulders each 4-feet wide.

The roadway will widen to 38-feet wide at the intersection of Vosseller Avenue for the addition of a left turn lane.

Minor curbline changes and a new traffic signal will be installed at the intersection of Chimney Rock Road to replace the substandard signal that now exists. This new signal will have the ability to be actuated by vehicles sitting in the turning lanes and have pedestrian crossing signals installed.

For more information on the project click here.

(Image via Google Maps: Intersection of Washington Valley Road and Chimney Rock Road.)

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