PENNS NECK AREA EIS "WORKING" PROBLEM STATEMENT (VERSION 5) The following problem statement is a "working" document intended to communicate the general nature of the mobility issues facing the Penns Neck area. The issues and perceptions contained in the problem statement are intended to form the basis for a detailed analysis and statement regarding the "purpose and need" for some action or actions to address these mobility issues. Further detailed study and documentation of existing conditions will quantify the extent to which the issues contribute to or are affected by mobility constraints in the Penns Neck area. It is anticipated that the "working problem statement" will evolve as detailed data becomes available. STUDY AREA The study area for the Penns Neck Area EIS has been structured into overlapping regions. The primary study area is composed of the municipalities of Plainsboro Township, Princeton Borough, Princeton Township, and West Windsor Township. This area approximates a five-mile radius from the intersection of Route 1 and Washington Road in West Windsor Township. The primary study area boundary is defined flexibly, so as to permit the inclusion of significant origins and destinations located on the fringe of the five-mile radius and to respond to the technical needs of the EIS study. The secondary study area, which is composed of twenty municipalities in Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset Counties 1, provides a regional context regarding demographics and travel patterns. Unless specifically noted otherwise, references to the study area should be understood to mean the primary study area. Finally, the study area for considering specific impacts from actions/alternatives investigated in the EIS will be determined by the nature of the action/alternative under consideration and the potentially impacted resource. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM Context - The context in which the Penns Neck Area EIS is undertaken represents a complex policy framework that requires a balancing of transportation, environmental, community, and development needs. The study area contains many unique and important natural, cultural, historic, community, and economic resources that should be protected and enhanced. As demonstrated by population and employment trends, the study area is also a focal point for growth and development. Since 1990, the primary study area has added approximately 17,000 people and 13,500 jobs. Table 1 illustrates population and employment trends in the primary study area. Appendix A provides a regional context for these trends by illustrating demographic changes in the secondary study area. According to the Local Area Land Use Inventory and Forecast study 2 (land use study) completed for the EIS in July 2002, there are approximately 57,500 workers employed in the primary study area. With the exception of the approximately 11,500 jobs concentrated in the Princeton Borough central business district, these jobs are located in worksites on or near the Route 1 corridor. Eighty percent (80%) of the primary study area's employment, or approximately 46,000 jobs, are located in West Windsor and Plainsboro Townships, mainly between Route 1 and the Northeast Corridor rail line. There are two primary nodes of employment. One employment node is located in West Windsor Township and includes work sites on Alexander Road and in the Carnegie Center office complex. A second node is located in Plainsboro Township and includes work sites on Plainsboro Road and Scudders Mill Road, as well as in the Forrestal Center office complex. The number of workers employed in West Windsor and Plainsboro is almost equal to that of the City of Newark, which has approximately 50,000 jobs. In addition, according the land use study, 39,000 new jobs are expected in the primary study area by the year 2028. This represents a sixty-eight (68%) increase over the next 27 years. TABLE 1 -- DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS IN THE PRIMARY STUDY AREA Population Change 1990 2000 1990-2000 Abs. Change 1990-2000 Percent Change Plainsboro 14,213 20,215 6,002 42% Princeton Boro 12,016 14,203 2,187 18% Princeton Twp 13,198 16,027 2,829 21% West Windsor 16,021 21,907 5,886 37% Total 55,448 72,352 16,904 30% Employment Change 1990 1999 1990-1999 Abs. Change 1990-1999 Percent Change Plainsboro 8,033 13,999 5,966 74% Princeton Boro 18,857 16,670 (2,187) -12% Princeton Twp 4,417 8,264 3,847 87% West Windsor 11,114 17,086 5,972 54% Total 42,421 56,019 13,598 32% Sources: US Census Bureau, NJ Dept. of Labor The pattern of development in the study area is decentralized and auto-oriented. The dominant land use pattern throughout the study area is single-use commercial and office development, built at low density, with free parking, and residential subdivisions. In addition, the pedestrian and bicycle network in the primary study area is incomplete. These conditions result in low usage and mode share for transit, pedestrian and bicycle travel to and from employment and other destinations in the primary study area. While the transit and walking mode share for residents of West Windsor and Princeton Borough is higher than in many surrounding municipalities, the dominant mode of travel to and from employment and other destinations in the study area is single-occupant automobile. The average occupancy of vehicles accessing employment destinations in the primary study area is 1.21 persons per vehicle. This reliance on single occupant automobile use to access work sites in the study area on existing transportation infrastructure has impaired mobility across all modes of travel, and delays due to traffic congestion occur in many locations. This has frustrated residents, employees and visitors in the primary study area. With construction of 12,750,000 sq. ft. of additional single-use, low-density, campus-style office space, already approved by local planning boards, it is reasonable to anticipate that travel conditions will worsen. Origin and Destination data 3 collected for the EIS indicates that the distribution of existing traffic on Washington Road and Alexander Road reflects the importance of the previously described employment nodes and the Princetons as major destinations. In the morning peak period, 71% of existing westbound traffic on Washington Road is destined for the Princetons and points northeast, northwest and west; 24% is destined for West Windsor; 1% is destined for locations south of the primary study area and 4% is destined for Plainsboro. On Alexander Road, 65% of existing morning peak period westbound traffic is destined for locations within West Windsor, including Carnegie Center and work sites along Alexander Road; 1% is destined for locations south of the primary study area; 32% is destined for the Princetons and points northeast, northwest and west; and 2% is destined for Plainsboro. Road-related issues - Employment and other destinations along or near Route 1 are major peak period traffic generators. The existing roadway system lacks the connectivity of a grid system and funnels traffic onto a few principal roads. The major north-south transportation artery in the study area, Route 1, is classified in NJDOT's State Highway Access Management Code as an "accessible principal arterial." It functions both as an inter-regional auto and truck corridor and as a local access road for properties fronting the highway. While capital investments made in the past two decades attempted to improve traffic flow along Route 1, much of the benefits were offset by additional access points. In addition, the few parallel connector roads adjacent to either side of Route 1 are ineffective alternatives to the use of Route 1 for reaching employment and other destinations in the primary study area. The east-west road system does not efficiently distribute traffic to and from employment centers in the primary study area, due to varying road widths, lane drops, lack of turning lanes, and discontinuities. Many routes pass through residential and college neighborhoods and business districts, do not meet existing peak period traffic demand, and function at impaired levels of service. These roads include: Harrison Street/Ewing Street from Route 1 to U.S. 206; CR571/Washington Road from the Hightstown By-pass to Nassau Street; Alexander Road from C.R. 571 via the railroad bridge to Mercer Street; and Meadow Road from Clarksville Road to Route 1/Canal Pointe Boulevard. Traffic traveling north-south on Route 1 and east-west, accessing and crossing Route 1 at the Washington Road, Fisher Place, Harrison Street intersections and other signalized intersections in the primary and secondary study area, creates traffic queues during peak travel periods. Motorists also use local residential streets to avoid the congestion. Aerial surveillance 4 conducted in October 2001 revealed that traffic queues on Route 1 in the Penns Neck area range from 20-40 vehicles per lane (3 lanes) in the morning peak period. Southbound congestion in the evening peak period typically extended back onto the Route 1 entrance ramp from Scudders Mill Road in Plainsboro. The Route 1 intersections at Harrison Street and Washington Road function above capacity [Level of Service (LOS) E-F] during the AM and PM peak period, while the Route 1 intersection with Fisher Place functions above capacity (LOS E-F) during the AM peak period and is approaching capacity (LOS C-D) during the PM peak period. Average travel delays on Route 1 range from 0.4 to 2.1 minutes at the Washington Road intersection and 0.8 to 1.9 minutes at the Harrison Street intersection. These conditions impair effective performance of both its through traffic and local access functions during peak hours. Similarly, the aerial surveillance documented east-west traffic congestion on both Washington Road and Harrison Street. In the morning peak period, westbound traffic queues on Washington Road were observed to range from 20 to 85 vehicles. The maximum observed queue extended from Route 1 east to the intersection of Wallingford Drive, approximately 1/2 mile away. On Harrison Street, eastbound traffic queues approaching Route 1 were observed to range from 20 to 30 vehicles. In the evening peak period, eastbound traffic queues on Washington Road were observed to range from 35 to 70 vehicles. Eastbound traffic queues on Harrison Street in the evening peak period were observed to range from 20 to 75 vehicles. At the maximum observed extent, the queue extended back to Lake Carnegie. Average travel delays on Washington Road range from 2.0 to 5.0 minutes and 1.4 to 8.2 minutes on Harrison Street during peak periods; however, the minimum and maximum observed delays varied widely from 0.7 to11.2 minutes on Washington Road and 0.4 to 11.8 minutes on Harrison Street, under typical conditions. In addition to causing travel delays for motorists and truck drivers, traffic queues during peak hours on both local roads and Route 1 deteriorate local air quality; pose safety hazards for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists; and are believed by local officials to impede the ability of emergency personnel to respond effectively. Data provided by Plainsboro Township indicates that transport time from an emergency call in Plainsboro Township to the Princeton Medical Center takes an additional 3 minutes during the evening peak period. This represents a 20% increase in travel time. Infrastructure condition issues - There are two structurally deficient bridges in the study area that must be repaired or replaced. One of these bridges is the Route 1 bridge over the Millstone River located just north of the Route 1/Harrison Street intersection which has a sufficiency rating of 55 on a scale of 0 to 100. This bridge carries 80,000 vehicles per day on Route 1 and is a critical link in the regional highway network. The second of these bridges is the Alexander Road bridge over the Northeast Corridor rail line in Princeton Junction, which has a sufficiency rating of 3.3. Alexander Road is a key travel corridor to major employment and retail destinations. NJDOT has accepted responsibility for replacing this structure on its current alignment. Transit-related issues - The pattern of development in the study area encourages dependency on auto use and imposes constraints on providing a comprehensive network of public transportation services. The existing public transit network includes commuter rail service on the Northeast Corridor rail line with a stop at the Princeton Junction train station, rail shuttle service via the "Dinky" from the Princeton Junction station to Princeton Borough, express commuter bus service to New York City, three local bus routes and a variety of public and private shuttle services providing access to and from the Princeton Junction train station. While the public transportation network includes most major transit modes, the characteristics of service, including number of routes, frequency of service, hours of operation, required transfers and travel times, are less then optimal due primarily to the pattern of development in the study area. The major transit facility, the Princeton Junction train station on the Northeast Corridor rail line, serves a dual function. First, it is heavily used by commuters traveling out of the area to destinations north and south. While use of the station for this purpose is high, waiting lists for parking permits and over-capacity conditions on some peak hour trains indicates that existing demand is greater than current system capacity. The second function served by the station is to distribute commuters and visitors traveling into the study area to a variety of purposes. Because the origins and destinations of employees and visitors coming into the study area are dispersed, use of the NEC rail line and Princeton Junction station by those traveling to destinations in the study area is limited. The Dinky operation, which serves residential markets in Princeton Borough and Township, downtown commercial development in Princeton Borough and Princeton University has limited parking capacity in Princeton Borough. In addition, service in both directions is constrained by its single-stop, single-track, single-train infrastructure, which does not meet every Northeast Corridor train stopping at Princeton Junction. The Dinky is used primarily by study area residents traveling to destinations outside of the study area. There are three local bus routes and three primary shuttle services operating in the study area. The local bus routes are long and sometimes circuitous. Frequency of service on these routes varies from approximately every 30 minute on the 600 and 606 bus to every 75 minutes on the 605 bus. Bicycles may be carried on all local bus services. The three shuttle services operating in the primary study area serve residential and employment destinations in the primary and secondary study area and are scheduled to meet peak period trains at Princeton Junction train station. Pedestrian and bicycle issues - According to the 1990 Census, 51% of workers living in Princeton Borough walk or bike to work. In Princeton Township, 14% walk or bike to work. In Plainsboro and West Windsor, the percentage is only slightly more than 1%. There are various reasons why pedestrian and bicycle travel is not more widely used to access employment and other destinations in the study area. While the terrain and local topography of the primary study area are conducive to pedestrian and bicycle travel, infrastructure is lacking. The sidewalk network, including cross walks, in the Penns Neck, Princeton Junction, and the train station area is incomplete and many pedestrian routes are unsafe. There are few striped bicycle lanes and separate bike paths in the primary study area. The bicycle network is disconnected and travel between major origins and destinations is difficult. There is also a lack of safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle routes for students to walk and bike to schools and recreational facilities. Furthermore, while the existing intersection at Washington Road provides at-grade access across Route 1, heavy auto traffic and frequent turning movements make traveling by foot or by bicycle across Route 1, to inter-municipal destinations within five miles, neither easy nor safe. Finally, there are few bicycle amenities to serve those who choose to travel by this means. For instance, according to the Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association, there is a thirty person waiting list for bicycle lockers at the Princeton Junction train station. These conditions impair pedestrian and bicycle mobility in the primary study area. Demand Management Issues - As in other comparable suburban areas, travel demand management strategies are not widely used. There are few incentives or impositions to foster alternative commute patterns. Alternative work arrangements such as telecommuting and compressed work week arrangements are limited. Employer-sponsored flex-time policies do exist, but are not early and late enough to shift travel out of peak periods; and flex-time makes car and van-pooling more difficult. Presently, there are a limited number of car and van-pool programs operating in the study area. Finally, government agencies offer few incentives to employers to support the initiation of travel demand management strategies, and the incentives that do exist require extensive record-keeping. Community resources - The above-referenced transportation-related problems affect neighborhood character and the integrity of the study area's many natural, cultural, historic, community, and economic resources. These resources include, but are not limited to: 1. The Millstone River and its watershed; 2. Little Bear Brook; 3. The Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park; 4. The Delaware and Raritan Canal; 5. Lake Carnegie; 6. The Washington Road Elm Allée (extending from Route 1 to the Delaware and Raritan Canal); 7. The Princeton Baptist Church of Penns Neck; 8. The Red Lion Inn on Washington Road in Penns Neck; 9. The Cemetery at the Princeton Baptist Church of Penns Neck and the Schenck-Covenhoven Cemetery in the Princeton University fields off Washington Road, in West Windsor; 10. Natural areas, including forests and wetlands in the study area; 11. Archaeological sites in the study area; 12. The Aqueduct Mills Historic District in West Windsor and Plainsboro; 13. The Covenhoven-Silvers-Logan House in West Windsor; 14. The Princeton Operating Station in West Windsor; 15. Residential neighborhoods throughout the study area; 16. Princeton University; and 17. Businesses and institutions located in the study area. Because these resources are held dear, they present a limitation on the range and design of solutions to address the identified transportation problems. Notes: 1. The secondary study area municipalities include: East Windsor Township, Hightstown Borough, Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township, Lawrence Township, Pennington Borough, Princeton Borough, Princeton Township, Washington Township, and West Windsor Township in Mercer County; Cranbury Township, Jamesburg Borough, Monroe Township, Plainsboro Township, and South Brunswick Township in Middlesex County; and Franklin Township, Hillsborough Township, Millstone Borough, Montgomery Township and Rocky Hill Borough in Somerset County. 2. Penns Neck Area EIS: Local Area Land Use Inventory and Forecast Study, Urbitran Associates, July 2002 3. Penns Neck Area EIS: Summary of Findings Origin/Destination Survey, Urbitran Associates, May 2002 4. Highway Traffic Quality on the US Route 1 Corridor in the vicinity of Penns Neck, West Windsor, New Jersey, Skycomp, Inc., October 2001 Appendix A Penns Neck Area EIS "Working" Problem Statement Population and Employment Trends in Penns Neck Area EIS Secondary Study Area Population Employment 1990 2000 1990-2000 Abs. Change 1990-2000 Percent Change 1990 1999 1990-1999 Abs. Change 1990-1999 Percent Change Mercer East Windsor 22,353 24,919 2,566 11% 6,516 5,141 (1,375) -21% Hightstown Borough 5,126 5,216 90 2% 2,746 3,309 563 21% Hopewell Borough 1,968 2,035 67 3% 451 469 18 4% Hopewell Township 11,590 16,105 4,515 39% 3,014 1,474 (1,540) -51% Lawrence Township 25,787 29,159 3,372 13% 21,496 23,103 1,607 7% Pennington Borough 2,537 2,696 159 6% 1,105 2,513 1,408 127% Princeton Borough 12,016 14,203 2,187 18% 18,857 16,670 (2,187) -12% Princeton Township 13,198 16,027 2,829 21% 4,417 8,264 3,847 87% Washington Township 5,815 10,275 4,460 77% 1,961 2,491 530 27% West Windsor Township 16,021 21,907 5,886 37% 11,114 17,086 5,972 54% Middlesex County Cranbury Township 2,500 3,227 727 29% 7,715 14,758 7,043 91% Jamesburg Borough 5,294 6,025 731 14% 1,336 3,312 1,976 148% Monroe Township 22,255 27,999 5,744 26% 1,697 2,963 1,266 75% Plainsboro Township 14,213 20,215 6,002 42% 8,033 13,999 5,966 74% South Brunswick Twp 25,792 37,734 11,942 46% 13,443 20,904 7,461 56% Somerset County Franklin Township 42,780 50,903 8,123 19% 24,328 33,345 9,017 37% Hillsborough Township 28,808 36,634 7,826 27% 3,497 5,358 1,861 53% Millstone Borough 450 410 (40) -9% 46 53 7 15% Montgomery Township 9,612 17,481 7,869 82% 5,951 8,647 2,696 45% Rocky Hill Borough 693 662 (31) -4% 493 373 (120) -24% Regional Total 260,493 327,689 67,196 26% 133,762 177,211 43,449 32% City of Trenton 88,675 85,403 (3,272) -4% 23,225 24,652 1,427 6% City of New Brunswick 41,711 48,573 6,862 16% 22,971 24,331 1,360 6% Sources: US Census Bureau, NJDOL DRAFT...DRAFT...DRAFT...DRAFT...DRAFT...DRAFT 10/14/02 1