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news release

P.O. Box 600
Trenton, NJ

Contact: Joe Fiordaliso
609-530-4280

RELEASE:August 12, 2004

 

Lettiere opens Campus Road interchange
and Route 18 northbound lanes in Piscataway

(Piscataway)- New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Commissioner Jack Lettiere today announced that the opening of the New Campus Road Interchange and Route 18 northbound lanes will take place this month, on schedule, and in time for the beginning of the new school year.  

The opening of this interchange marks a major milestone in the Route 18 Piscataway project and means that motorists will have easy access to the Rutgers University Busch Campus from Route 18.

The Campus Road Interchange will open on August 17th and the northbound Route 18 through lane will open on August 24th .   This milestone meets NJDOT's commitment to Rutgers University to provide easy access to Busch Campus in time for the new school year.

"The extension of Route 18 in Piscataway marks a significant achievement for Middlesex County," said Commissioner Lettiere.   "We are making investments in safety, congestion relief and quality of life along the Route 18 corridor over the next several years, and this project is at the apex of that investment.   The milestone we are announcing today will provide easy access to the Busch Campus from Route 18, and is only possible through a strong commitment to transportation funding by Governor McGreevey."

Prior to the construction of this project, Route 18 ended at River Road on the east side of the Raritan River.   This project extends Route 18 from River Road to the Hoes Lane extension through Piscataway.   This project is the first phase of the extension of Route 18 to I-287.

The $78 million project, which began construction in the summer of 2002, extends Route 18 from the John Lynch Bridge to Hoes Lane and includes the construction of a new alignment with new interchanges at River Road, Rutgers Busch Campus and Metlars Lane/Livingston Campus.   This project will be complete by the end of 2004.

The final phase, currently estimated at $42 million in total project cost, will complete the connection of Route 18 to I-287 by converting Hoes Lane into part of Route 18.   This phase will include new signalized intersections, sidewalks and bike/pedestrian paths.   Both projects will make Route 18 a continuous four-lane, 1.7 mile, arterial-highway extending through Piscataway Township.   NJDOT will begin design work during FY05 and will look to begin the right of way process soon thereafter.

"This is a step forward toward much needed infrastructure improvements to move traffic more efficiently in Central New Jersey," said Senator Bob Smith.

"I am excited about the completion of the project.   This will provided much needed relief to this congested area.   I want to thank the DOT for lending its support to this project," said Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula.

These investments in the rehabilitation of Route 18 are possible through NJDOT's Capital Program, which is funded by the State's Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) and the federal TEA-21.   Governor McGreevey recently signed the FY 2005 budget, finalizing the $2.58 billion Capital Program for NJDOT and NJ TRANSIT.   The FY 2005 Capital Program is a fiscally responsible, robust investment in New Jersey's transportation network.   The capital program fulfills Governor McGreevey's commitment to improving safety, easing congestion by using smart growth and fix-it-first strategies, and providing needed property tax relief to New Jersey's counties and municipalities.   The Capital Program will facilitate the movement of over $7 billion worth of goods and services and directly support over 100,000 jobs.   Roughly $1.4 billion of the capital program is for use by the NJDOT, and $1.2 billion by NJ TRANSIT.

 

 
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  Last Updated:  January 17, 2012