Phase 1-Roadway Improvements to Witherspoon Street from Nassau Street (NJSH Rt. 27) to Green Street Municipality of Princeton, Mercer County, NJ
(1 PDH NJ, NY & PA)
Speaker: Tejal Patel, PE, CME, LEED AP, Associate, Client Manager, T&M Associates
Historic Witherspoon Street is located within Princeton’s Central Business District (CBD) and is considered the municipal “Main Street” of Princeton. Last improved in the prior century, the roadway corridor focused on vehicle use and parking; sidewalks were narrow and street trees were limited. Improvements were needed to reimagine the street as a downtown main street. Princeton’s community vision was to create a vibrant pedestrian environment while still accommodating business patrons and operations. This project, extending from Nassau Street (Route 27) to Green Street, is the first of three phases to improve the corridor. After sixteen months of community engagement, over twenty design concepts, and coordination of highway intersection improvements with the New Jersey Department of Transportation, Princeton adopted a design which converts a portion of the roadway into a one-way pedestrianized space. The southern roadway section from Nassau to Spring Street was converted from a two-way 40’ wide vehicle centric street into a 12’ northbound one-way street with a 10’ service lane; concrete pavers are used on both the road and sidewalk to convey that this is a community space. Proposed wider sidewalks accommodate outdoor dining, enhanced landscaping, and furnishings for a comfortable pedestrian experience. A reduced speed limit, mid-block raised crosswalk, and a curb extension at Spring Street serve to calm traffic. Green infrastructure elements include urban tolerant trees, landscaping, and concrete pavers with porous joints to improve flood and energy resiliency. North of Spring Street, the original two-way traffic pattern is maintained and curb extensions, wider sidewalks and an traffic signal improvements at Paul Robeson Place further enhance pedestrian safety. The resulting design preserves the best of Princeton, improves the pedestrian experience, and facilitates opportunities for a desirable and sustainable CBD with a promenade feel and a flexible space that complements the historic roadway’s characteristics.
