Route 1 Jughandles in West Windsor Closing

The pilot project restricting left turns and U-turns on Route 1 at Washington Road and Harrison Street will begin by Saturday, according the New Jersey Department of Transporation.

The project will continue for approximately 12 weeks.

The new traffic pattern will affect residents and commuters who travel in and out of Princeton. When the pilot begins, drivers will not be able to turn left from Route 1 north onto Harrison or Washington. Instead, drivers can use Alexander Road to go into Princeton, or Scudder’s Mill Road to Route 1 south.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation is trying to reduce congestion at those intersections where the rightmost of three lanes becomes crowded with motorists waiting to make left turns, particularly during peak travel periods. 

A previous study along Route 1 indicated that the existing space for left and U-turns at those jughandles is inadequate to accommodate the traffic. 

Temporary barriers will be used to implement the restrictions and will be installed this weekend. Signs will notify motorists of the restrictions and alternate routes before the pilot project starts. 

NJDOT will collect traffic volume and trip-time data at numerous locations in Princeton Township, Princeton Borough, West Windsor and Plainsboro prior to and during the trial period to evaluate the impact of the restrictions. The findings, including the impact of the restrictions on Route 1 congestion and on secondary roads, will be presented to stakeholders.

If the trial is deemed a success, the turns will not be restored and NJDOT will replace the temporary barriers with permanent ones.

The project was previously delayed from a tentative mid-March start date after concerns over the relocation of University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro.

According to the DOT, the following driving options will be available to drivers: 

• Motorists heading east from Princeton on Washington Road (CR 571) will continue to be able to make all current movements at the Route 1 intersection. They may turn right onto Route 1 south, proceed straight through the intersection to continue on Washington Road, or turn left onto Route 1 north.
• Motorists heading west from West Windsor on Washington Road also will continue to have all three movements (left, straight or right) available at the Route 1 intersection.
• Motorists heading east from Princeton on Harrison Street also will have all three existing movements (left onto Route 1 south, straight into the Sarnoff facility or left onto Route 1 north) available.
• Motorists departing the Sarnoff facility onto Route 1 at Harrison Street will be restricted to right turns only onto Route 1 northbound.

For more information, visit the NJDOT's project-specific website.