Monroe is Taking Aggressive Steps to Reduce the Unacceptable Volume of Truck Traffic

There is absolutely no question that there are too many tractor trailers on our local roads.

It affects motorist and pedestrian safety and threatens the quality of life that we all enjoy in Monroe. There is no reason why our motorists and residents must continually have to deal with these out-of-town trucks, many of which are bringing goods to and from these new giant warehouses that border us in Cranbury.

You may be aware that my Administration conducted a tractor trailer survey in June and July along Cranbury Station Road and Cranbury Half Acre Road. I found the results to be unacceptable, with engineers and police reporting more than 1,200 trucks pass each day on these roads. We have similar concerns on Prospect Plains Road and are considering traffic reductions on these three thoroughfares into Cranbury to be a top priority.

There are ways in which we can apply to the state to limit the number of tractor trailers on these roads. We can limit the permissible weight of these trucks, and our police officers can ensure these trucks fully comply with our local laws. By limiting the weight, we are limiting the number of trucks heading to those Cranbury warehouses through Monroe.

We can also seek regional solutions, working with the many surrounding communities that are also dealing with the tractor trailer nightmare generated by Cranbury’s warehouses. Together, we can advocate for Cranbury to finally complete its Liberty Way Bypass, which was designed years ago as a road to divert truck traffic from our neighborhoods.

The “Liberty Way” bypass is vital and is included in the Cranbury Master Plan.  It has been in the works for years but not completed. There now needs to be additional funding that Cranbury must secure – through its taxpayers who benefit from the revenue of these warehouses, or through the state. Whatever the case, Cranbury must get the money to allow the critical, final pieces of its two-mile bypass to be constructed as soon as possible, for the relief of us all.

The fight for the bypass is not new. At the request of the former Cranbury mayor, in March 2015 the Monroe Planning Board adopted a resolution in support of the proposed bypass, which was to include a bridge over the Cranbury Brook. At the time, Monroe officials expressed appreciation to Cranbury, saying the bypass sends a positive message to neighboring communities about the growing traffic problems from the Cranbury warehouses. South Brunswick approved a similar resolution on July 22, 2014, saying the bypass would remove 14,000 vehicles from Route 130, providing “much relief.”