Transportation officials searching for an answer
3 construction options are being considered for Halls Mill Road
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

Traffic at the intersection of Halls Mill Road and Route 524 (Elton-Adelphia Road) in Freehold Township remains a concern for area motorists. Transportation officials are considering three plans to improve the area of Halls Mill Road between Three Brooks Road and Route 524.

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP - A federal project may eventually address the need for road improvements on the portion of Halls Mill Road between Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524) and Three Brooks Road.

Transportation officials are presently considering which of three possible construction projects to pursue. A fourth option would be to do nothing, according to information presented at Town Hall on Jan. 24.

One of Freehold Township's traffic hot spots is a primary focus of this particular project: the intersection of Halls Mill Road and Route 524 near the border of Howell.

According to information provided at the meeting, "The need for improvement (on this portion of Hall Mill Road) is generated by the unsafe conditions caused by the substandard geometry that results in poor sight distance and poor level of service which contributes to the numerous accidents within the project area and delays for emergency vehicles."

JEFF GRANIT staff

According to the information, accident data from 2001 through 2003 indicated there were 109 accidents reported within the project area (Halls Mill Road between Three Brooks Road and Route 524).

Engineer Tony Panzarino of T&M Associates, Middletown, was on hand to discuss the project. The improvements on Halls Mill Road are being planned to correct substandard and unsafe road conditions; improve the operation of road systems; improve functionally obsolete and structurally deficient bridges; and accommodate future traffic demand.

The first option with regard to Halls Mill Road between Three Brooks Road and Route 524 is to do nothing. Doing nothing would not meet any of the project needs. Costs would be delayed until a future date.

The second option proposes improvements along the existing Halls Mill Road alignment by widening the road from two to four lanes. This option will not improve the sight distance and traffic safety, reduce accidents, improve traffic signal operations or meet the project needs, according to Panzarino.

Regarding the environmental impact of this option, it will affect 1.58 acres of freshwater wetlands. Regarding acquisitions, it will affect 1.51 acres of land and 6.15 acres of the Rutgers University agricultural research facility right of way. The cost of this construction option is projected at $12.8 million.

The third option would involve the realignment of Halls Mill Road west of an existing dam. This option would improve sight distance and traffic safety, reduce the occurrence of accidents, improve traffic signal operations and meet the project needs.

This plan will affect 1.19 acres of freshwater wetlands and require 1.54 acres of acquisitions. It will increase the impact on the Rutgers University right of way to 10.4 acres. This option is estimated to cost $12.6 million.

The fourth option involves the realignment of Halls Mill Road east of an existing dam. This option will improve sight distance and traffic safety, reduce the occurrence of accidents, improve traffic signal operations and meet the project needs.

This option will impact 1.2 acres of freshwater wetlands. It will also require 1.35 acres in acquisitions and impact 20.7 acres of the Rutgers University right of way. This construction option is estimated to cost $21.6 million.

According to material provided by Panzarino, Halls Mills Road has no shoulders and a berm area covered in dense vegetation. The road contains several horizontal curves.

Traveling south on Halls Mill Road (toward Route 524), motorists reduce speed from 50 mph to 35 mph and to 25 mph and must merge from two lanes into one lane near Three Brooks Road. There are two connecting substandard horizontal curves that form an S-curve at the bridge over Burkes Creek with a speed advisory sign for 30 mph at the first curve and 25 mph at the second curve.

North of Burkes Creek, the second curve has a steep embankment that impedes sight distance to the Rutgers University agricultural research facility driveway and the residential driveways, mainly on the east side of the road. The obstructed sight distance combined with motorists attempting to enter and exit these driveways creates unsafe conditions for residents and the traveling public, according to the information provided on Jan. 24.

All of the intersections within the study area currently operate with an unacceptable Level of Service of E or F (on a scale of A to F) during the morning and afternoon weekday peak hours. The worst locations are the intersections of Halls Mill Road and Route 524 and Halls Mill and Three Brooks roads. Within the study area, Halls Mill Road operates at what transportation officials said was an unacceptable Level of Service E.

Panzarino estimated it will take between three and six months for federal agencies to evaluate the results of public input surveys which were available at the Jan. 24 meeting. Once officials decide which construction option to pursue for Halls Mill Road, work is anticipated to start in 2009.