Support the Clarksville Road Bridge State of Emergency!

Please join the West Windsor Township Council in requesting that a NJ State of Emergency be declared to fix the Clarksville Road Bridge. Four months of inaction to even determine a plan for this critical bridge is enough!

2026-R051 Resolution Petitioning Governor Mikie Sherrill to Declare a State of Emergency for the Clarksville Road Corridor Pursuant to the Emergency Services Act

Town Council Bridge Resolution 2026-051 approved on 2/25/26

Email Governor Sherrill (Topic: Transportation) – Please write!

Clarksville Road Bridge Petition Please sign!

At the West Windsor Township Council meeting on February 25, 2026, I summarized the need for the State of Emergency:

Last Council meeting on February 9, 2026, I outlined the issues with the existing method of handling the Clarksville bridge project, the major problems that the bridge closure is causing, and the need to expedite the process and obtain economic relief by having the Governor declare a State of Emergency requested by formal resolution. Council had a discussion and each Council member contributed material and ideas that make up our resulting resolution.

Tonight, we are voting on Resolution 2026-R051, asking Governor Mikie Sherrill to Declare a State of Emergency for the Clarksville Road Corridor due to the closed Bridge.

We do not do this lightly. We know this is an extraordinary measure to be taken when normal avenues fail. As the governing body of West Windsor we have no control over the bridge:

• The bridge and any replacement are under the control of NJ State DOT and it is their project.
• The property under the bridge is owned and controlled by Amtrak, which is a US federal entity.
• The electrical conduit under the bridge is owned by PSEG, who is regulated by the NJ State BPU
• Relief for businesses adversely affected is provided primarily by the NJ State Economic Development Authority and related organizations
• Clarksville Road on either side of the bridge is a Mercer County Road

The bridge is not a West Windsor project, but we feel most of the pain. Ever since the emergency bridge closure, Councilwoman Sonia Gawas and I have been working with the businesses most affected on Clarksville Road. We brought in the NJ EDA, who have been terrific and working with us constantly. However, they do not have a grant program for the emergency disaster aid we need.

The Mayor and administration have been at constant meetings with all the players. Early on we had hopes that temporary solutions would quickly be found and implemented. Both County and Township engineers came up with potential solutions. But the process got bogged down in bureaucracy and administrative approvals that prevented even an inspection for three months. At the Mayor’s request, not only did our Council get involved in trying to expedite each step of the process, but many of our residents helped.

Movement on the project was still slow, and the piecemeal approach to a complicated project with many players is not working. This is not acceptable.

Our State of Emergency Resolution not only outlines our many issues for West Windsor and the region due to the bridge closure, but a set of solutions to move the project forward once the State of Emergency is declared. Both the issues and solutions were the result of several weeks of finetuning, discussions and data collection from sources inside and outside West Windsor. Our Administration has provided information from the Police and Emergency Services, and the Board of Education has provided transportation data.

Resolves to solve the bridge crisis:

1. Petition for Emergency Declaration
2. Federal Intercession (Amtrak)
3. Emergency Procurement and Reduction of Bureaucratic Procedures (NJ)
4. Economic Assistance (Clarksville Road Businesses)
5. Expedited Bridge Replacement (NJ DOT)
6. Distribution

We are not doing this alone. The Mayor, Council members, and members of the public have reached out to others for support through meetings, phone calls, letters and a large petition with over 1700 signatures and counting. I am extremely proud of our community who have come together to solve this problem. This issue belongs to us all.

Thank you to those who have come forward and answered our community’s call for support. Sonia Gawas and I went to our Mercer County Commissioners last meeting, and they have passed a supporting resolution tonight. Plainsboro Township Committee should also be passing one soon.

The Governor has already received letters in support of the declaration from the following officials:

• County Executive Dan Benson
• State Senator Shirley Turner
• WWP School System Superintendent Dr. David Aderhold and Board President Graelynn McKeown
• West Windsor Mayor Hemant Marathe

With this support we can make this happen. Please continue to help by contacting Governor Sherril and signing the petition.

Councilwoman Andrea Mandel

Vice President, West Windsor Township Council