Summerhill extension debated as traffic fix
Spotswood officials say idea is a long shot due to cost, complexity
BY VINCENT TODARO
Staff Writer

With traffic in Spotswood a constant source of frustration, one long-standing idea to ease conditions remains on the table: extending Summerhill Road.

The concept has been bounced around for decades, and recently council President Curtis Stollen mentioned it as a possible way to reduce traffic, especially in the vicinity of DeVoe Avenue and Main Street. The extension would serve as something of a bypass, taking much of the traffic out of the center of Spotswood.

Mayor Barry Zagnit said the idea goes back to the late 1970s or early 1980s, when it was proposed that the road be extended by two miles to the south, into Old Bridge. That was before more stringent state and federal environmental restrictions went into effect. He also noted that the idea, which he resurrected when he became mayor in 1996, was not well received by Old Bridge officials at the time.

"It never went anywhere," he said.

Stollen also recalled the Summerhill Road extension being a topic in political circles since the 1990s.

"And the traffic is worse now," he said.

Stollen said the project bears consideration in part because many residents who use DeVoe Avenue are "looking for relief" in getting to Main Street. Those living south of Main Street don't have many alternatives for getting to the rest of town. The traffic backup at the intersection of Main Street and DeVoe Avenue is "extreme," Stollen noted, with residents having difficulty getting from their homes to other parts of town.

Among the factors that complicate the idea is the existence of the water system in the area of Summerhill Road and Main Street, Stollen said.

"You really need much more engineering to know if it can work," he said.

If the plan ever did pick up steam, there would have to be a major effort to determine how to implement the extension, who would be affected by it, and other issues. So far, the idea has only been discussed as a concept.

Zagnit said that despite the history, he is in favor of considering the extension of Summerhill Road in some way. Spotswood is gridlocked with traffic, especially during rush hours, he said, noting that many of the vehicles are coming from other towns and cutting through Spotswood.

For years, borough and county officials have looked at options on how to deal with the traffic, but Zagnit said none really seemed that they would work.

The traffic problem, he noted, is only going to get worse as more homes are built in surrounding communities.

Zagnit said the Summerhill Road extension is a complex issue and would be a costly project. There is no concrete plan on the table, he said, and there would be numerous hurdles to overcome before any plan could be seriously pursued.

"We're just at the infancy stage," the mayor said.

The first step would be to obtain funding for a feasibility study. Spotswood would also need a commitment from county and state officials and neighboring towns' governing bodies.

Stollen agreed that neighboring towns such as Helmetta and Monroe Township would have to be involved. He noted that residents of those towns also have a hard time getting through Spotswood and can use the help.

"We need the mayors of Monroe and Helmetta to finally raise their voices," Stollen said.

At least one resident is cautioning officials to consider the project's impact on those who live in the area where the road would extend. Frank Yusko, who also teaches at Spotswood High School, sent an open letter to the Borough Council this month, saying he learned that "the age-old plan" of extending the road had resurfaced.

Yusko said it is questionable whether the extension would help the traffic situation, but he is certain that the project would disturb the quality of life for residents in the area.

"The tranquillity of the oldest section of Spotswood would be forever destroyed," Yusko wrote. "It would seem that those homes would face one of two fates. Either your home might be bulldozed, or you will be losing your old friends and neighbors and acquiring a new neighbor, a large new road."

Stollen said people who live in the Summerhill Road area "have every right" to be concerned, but they should realize that extending the road is a "long shot" due to the millions of dollars needed for the project.

Zagnit said last week that he had not yet seen Yusko's letter.

"I don't know why anyone would object at this point," Zagnit said, "simply because there is no concrete plan."

Yusko wrote that another problem with an extended Summerhill Road could be the devaluation of homes in the area.

"As I have several friends and brother firefighters who live in that community, I wished to voice my concern," Yusko wrote.

He noted that Spotswood is "now paying the price for Monroe's overdevelopment, just as Milltown faced this fate due to the overdevelopment in East and North Brunswick.

"The tranquillity of our small communities is at stake, and in the hands of our larger neighbors who use us as a crosswalk," he wrote.

Yusko did say he agrees that "all possibilities must be considered and explored" to remedy the traffic problems.

"I applaud our borough government for all their efforts," he said. "They are fine public servants who have my deepest gratitude and respect."