Walkable Princeton? AvalonBay's Proposed 280 Unit Complex Will Generate More Traffic, Not Less

Walkable Princeton?  AvalonBay Will Generate More Traffic in Princeton, Not Less

Among the many issues surrounding AvalonBay’s most recent plan to redevelop the hospital site, one of the most troubling is its potential impact on traffic.   As a mother of two young children who will eventually walk to Community Park School each day, we are extremely concerned about their safety as well as the safety of other children walking to school.  The Maser Impact Study done for AvalonBay Communities in May of this year concluded that the traffic should be about the same as when the hospital was in operation.  However, the report does not consider that several hundred employees, when working at the Witherspoon Street location, parked off site either at the Princeton Shopping Center or at one of several other locations and were transported by bus to the Hospital.  Furthermore, Maser did not do a manual count at 3:00 PM when many children are walking home from school.  

No historical traffic accounts from other  AvalonBay communities are provided by the Maser report. Only standard data, not specific to AvalonBay developments were used from the Institute of Traffic Engineers.  Actual historical accounts could have provided a less theoretical, more realistic picture of traffic that is actually generated by a 280 unit apartment complex.  Its is ironic that AvalonBay has not provided traffic reports from their other communities.  This information could have provided insight on the best way to handle traffic which will be generated by a development of 280 units. 

The sidewalk on Henry Avenue is on the same side of the street as the garage which is to provide parking for the proposed AvalonBay community.  Even now there are people using the garage that work in nearby Medical buildings, that can be seen driving through the stop sign without stopping.   What will the impact be when 280 families are living at this sight?

It has been suggested that users of the garage not be allowed to exit on Henry Avenue during hours when children are walking to school, however interior roads shown on the AvalonBay planB do not appear wide enough to support a steady stream of traffic during rush hour through the complex to Franklin Avenue which is on the opposite side of the development. 

It is naive to assume that everyone living at AvalonBay will walk everywhere.  Similarly designed AvalonBay developments in NJ market to young professionals who are more more apt to be commuters, driving out to Route 1 and beyond.  For errands and grocery shopping, it not practical to walk to the shopping center, as people with busy schedules do not have the luxury of time to walk a mile each way.  More importantly, on weekdays, when people are in a hurry, they will choose to drive and this is when schools are in session.  

Portia McGee   Harris Road

Paul and Yoshie Driscoll  Harris Road