Accidents Remain Steady Along Route 22 Corridor

The New Jersey Department of Transportation is planning a collection of short-term improvements for Route 22 through Bridgewater with a goal of improving safety and reducing accidents.

Such improvements include closing the U-turns in the medians on Route 22, constructing a traffic light at the intersection of Foothill and Ronson roads and more, most of which are expected to be done in Spring 2014.

These are the proposed projects in the short-term improvements:

• Reconstruct Route 22 East shoulder as an auxiliary lane for the Route 202/206 on-ramp.
• Change the Mountain Avenue intersection into stop control.
• Add another exit onto Route 22 West from Buffalo Wild Wings.
• Widen and reconstruct the Route 22 East shoulder as an auxiliary lane from North Bridge Street, past Grove Street.
• Widen the shoulder along Route 22 in the median from North Bridge Street to North Grove Street.
• Reconfigure the intersection of the North Grove Street overpass and Grove Street.
• Eliminate the u-turns in the median at North Gaston Avenue and Adamsville Road.
• Construct a new traffic signal at the intersection of Foothill and Ronson roads, with a left turn lane.
• Install new overhead signs for "Exit Only" lanes on Roue 22 West to Ronson Road.
• Install a new deceleration lane on Route 22 West for the Route 287 southbound ramp.
• Make improvements to the highway lighting.
• Install a new Intelligent Transportation System along the Route 22 corridor.

Most of these improvements are being done to reduce accidents along the Route 22 corridor.

According to documentation from the NJDOT, accidents reported in the areas of some of the improvements have remained fairly steady, although full information from 2012 was not yet available.

For example, at Foothill and Ronson roads, there were eight accidents reported in 2009, 16 in 2010, seven in 2011 and 10 in 2012.

At Route 22 and Ronson Road, just before the area where the traffic light is being installed, 13 accidents were reported in 2009, 18 in 2010, 11 in 2011 and six in 2012.

The greatest number of accidents have been reported in areas where intersections are going to be changed, such as Route 22 and Gaston Avenue, where there were 44 in 2009, 40 in 2010, 33 in 2011 and 38 in 2012.

The above graph highlights accidents over a four-year period in key locations where changes are being made by the NJDOT.

What do you think are some of the more dangerous intersections on Route 22?