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Franklin's Roads, Paving and Traffic, Explained
Who owns which road; how the 2026 paving program is paid for and which streets it covers; the eleven resurfacing contracts and the 36% asphalt-cost report; the requests residents made for lights, crosswalks, speed humps and truck limits; Route 27 and Easton Avenue; the 2025–26 snow season; where the record's figures differ; and what residents can do.
The short version
- The township paves its own streets. Route 27 is a state highway; Easton Avenue, Hamilton Street and Amwell Road are county roads, so the Council passes requests about them to NJDOT or the county.
- Bond Ordinance 4504-26 (May 12, 2026, 6–0) puts $4,650,000 into roads and sidewalks. Eleven 2026 resurfacing contracts total $5,756,664.40 in award amounts.
- On October 13, 2026 the Township Manager reported “a 36% increase in asphalt costs affecting paving projects.”
- Residents asked for lights, crosswalks, speed humps and truck limits at 15 of 25 Council meetings in the past year, including a Beekman Road petition with over 300 signatures.
- A speed-hump ordinance “requiring 70% resident petition support” was reported in progress on October 13.
Who owns which road
The minutes record the Manager saying “Amwell road is a county road” (April 14, 2026) and Councilman Wright saying “Hamilton Street is a county road” (January 27, 2026). On October 13, 2026 the Manager sent a resident’s report of an outdated sign at Cedar Grove Lane and Easton Avenue to the County Engineer. Crosswalk and sign requests on township roads go “through the Traffic Safety Bureau to Sergeant Raics,” the Manager said on April 14.
How the 2026 paving is paid for
Departments’ capital requests went to the Council’s budget hearing on March 17, 2026. The Roads request asked for $3,000,000 for annual resurfacing, $100,000 for crack sealing, $450,000 for streetscape and $100,000 for Canal Road guiderail Phase 11.
Bond Ordinance 4504-26, adopted May 12, 2026 (6–0: Kharazi, Kramer, Onyejiaka, Singh, Vassanella and Wright; Anbarasan, Francois and Uddin absent), appropriates $8,049,100 and authorizes $6,979,145 in bonds or notes. Its “Roads and Sidewalks” line is $4,650,000. Its Exhibit A lists 33 streets, among them Canal Road, DeMott Lane, Girard Avenue, Randolph Road, West Point Avenue and Willow Avenue. The same ordinance buys two plow trucks, three salt spreaders, a brine trailer and an asphalt paving machine.
The township also applied to NJDOT’s Municipal Aid program for New Brunswick Road (Cedar Grove to Willow) in January 2026 (Res. 26-058) and for JFK Boulevard Phase 1 (Easton Avenue to Hughes Road) for 2027 (Res. 26-210). Neither resolution states an amount.
The 2026 resurfacing contracts
| Resolution | Area | Contractor | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26-186 (April 28 agenda) | Coppermine Road area | Fischer | $496,584.65 |
| 26-187 (April 28 agenda) | Cedar Brook Drive | Meco | $360,724.50 |
| 26-188 (April 28 agenda) | Sterling Road area | Fischer | $648,322.99 |
| 26-206 (May 12) | Highwood area | Discover Construction | $256,758.82 |
| 26-258 (June 9) | Willow Avenue area | Discover | $687,605.93 |
| 26-259 (June 9) | Pierce Street | Riverview Paving | $442,733.99 |
| 26-278 (June 23) | Route 27 resurfacing | Z Brothers Concrete Contractors | $168,204.10 |
| 26-338 (August 11) | Randolph Road area | Fischer | $1,175,869.19 |
| 26-339 (August 11) | Golf View Drive area | Fischer | $622,499.09 |
| 26-375 (September 8) | New Brunswick Road, with fabric | Z Brothers | $356,031.15 |
| 26-405 (September 22) | Canal Road | Top Line Construction | $541,329.99 |
| Total (LocalWhy’s sum) | $5,756,664.40 |
All were consent-agenda items. The April 28 meeting has no minutes posted, so its three votes are not in the record; the Sterling Road contract later received a final change order raising it to $732,480.05 (Res. 26-381, September 8), and the township’s status post lists the Coppermine and Cedarbrook work as done.
Where the work stands (township post, October 21, 2026): completed, the Highwood, Sterling, Cedarbrook and Coppermine areas; in progress, the Willow, Randolph and Golf View areas; milling from October 26, Canal Road (Bunker Hill Road to Blackwells Mills Road) and New Brunswick Road (Willow to Cedar Grove); planned for 2027, the Girard Avenue and Fuller Street areas.
Costs. On October 13, 2026 the Manager “Reported a 36% increase in asphalt costs affecting paving projects,” and Councilman Vassanella “Noted that Public Works paving projects face delays due to rising asphalt costs.” The minutes do not say which contracts are affected.
Guiderail. An emergency timber-guiderail repair contract was awarded to Capela Construction for $325,000 on May 26 (Res. 26-226); Capela withdrew June 9 and the next bidder June 23. On August 11 the work went to J. Fletcher Creamer & Son at $325,000 (Res. 26-328), and on September 22 Res. 26-404 changed the amount to $455,000, saying the first amount “was incorrect.”
Software. In January 2026 the township bought road-condition software from Vialytics, $43,654 for one year (Res. 26-070, 8–0), after three proposals.
What residents asked for
The minutes record these requests (names and streets as the minutes give them):
- Route 27 at Princeton Highlands. On February 10, 2026 Kunal Lakhia raised a $75,000 request for a traffic light, and Ted Chase also asked. The reply: the “cost for a Route 27 light is unknown due to right-of-way issues and the need to be equitable across multiple community requests.” On March 24 Mr. Anbarasan said Route 27 signal-timing recommendations had been sent to NJDOT.
- JFK Boulevard and Winston Drive. John Litrakis asked for a light on February 10. “John, Arlington Avenue” asked again on April 14, along with rumble strips on Amwell Road and truck limits on Arlington Avenue, and John McCracken asked for updates on June 23. The Manager said “a full traffic warrant analysis is underway, and if warranted, funding would be budgeted in 2027”; on June 23 the study “is expected to take several months,” and the township would ask county engineering to review the Amwell Road rumble strips.
- Arden and Girard. Tracy Wynn asked for a traffic study (February 10). A previous study “did not meet warrants for a four-way stop”; the Traffic Bureau would do a preliminary analysis.
- Beekman Road. Mark, of Chelsea Court, asked for crosswalks and signals at Chelsea Court, Lindsey Court and Beekman Road (March 24); Township Engineer Darren Mazzei said those courts are private roads, so crosswalks there are the HOA’s responsibility. On June 9 Steven Savard, Society Hill III HOA Secretary, asked for speed bumps, crosswalks and pedestrian signals on Beekman Road and presented “a petition with over 300 signatures.” The Manager said “speed bumps are not permitted on public roads in New Jersey, but speed humps are,” that speed limits “require an engineering study,” and that flashing beacons are “a budgetary decision based on engineering studies.” Mr. Singh said “a similar request was previously denied, recent incidents require a revisit.”
- Trucks. On May 12, the night the warehouse-zoning ordinance was introduced, residents raised failing intersections, 4-ton limits on Schoolhouse Road and a sign on Weston Canal Road. The replies: trucks may use 4-ton roads “if their destination is on or just off that road”; New Jersey law does not allow automated camera summonses; the Weston Canal Road sign would read “Truck traffic use Randolph Road ahead.” On June 9 Skip Richards thanked the Council for that sign and asked for a “No Trucks” sign at Schoolhouse Road.
- Crosswalks and sidewalks. Kevin Camman, a crossing guard, reported faded crosswalks and a crumbling tactile surface near Franklin Boulevard (April 14). On September 8 Loretta Harper reported “a nonfunctional speed radar on Churchill Avenue,” Maureen Taylor asked about traffic at Amwell and DeMott, and Javahn Walker asked about sidewalk repair; the Manager said the township “currently lacks a contractor for sidewalk ‘shaving’.”
- Easton Avenue. On October 13 Martin Czebatar reported the outdated “no right turn” sign at Cedar Grove Lane and Easton Avenue and raised “concerns about truck traffic deaths on Easton Avenue.” The township record found has no crash data for that statement.
Speed humps
On December 9, 2025 Councilman Wright said he was “seeking a residential block for a trial run of speed humps,” noting “A previous attempt failed, and the initiative requires consensus from all residents on a block.” On June 23, 2026 he said the process “requires block-wide consensus and council review.” On October 13 he reported a speed-hump ordinance “requiring 70% resident petition support, aiming for completion by the year-end.” No such ordinance was on an agenda through October 27, 2026. The current policy is on the Police Department website, the Manager said on June 9.
County and state projects
- Easton Avenue (CR 527). Somerset County is running a federally funded Local Concept Development study of the corridor from Franklin Boulevard / Landing Lane to Worlds Fair Drive. The county describes it as a four-lane arterial carrying about 41,000 vehicles a day and says “Safety is a major concern along Easton Avenue.” The study’s current phase is not stated. On October 13 Councilman Vassanella gave “updates on Easton Avenue safety fixes,” which the minutes do not detail.
- I-287 at River Road and Easton Avenue. The regional Transportation Improvement Program lists an NJDOT project (DB 9169Q) in Piscataway and Franklin to lengthen the acceleration lanes from the Easton Avenue ramps, “to reduce the crashes, vehicular turbulence, and congestion.” Estimated cost $97.3 million: design $7.2 million in FY2027, right-of-way $0.5 million in FY2028, construction $89.6 million in 2030–2035, beyond the program’s funded years.
- Hamilton Street. On January 27, 2026 Councilman Wright raised “limited visibility at Hamilton Street and Home Street leading to accidents” and proposed stop signs on all approaches, noting the need to coordinate with the county.
Snow removal, winter 2025–26
- After the January storm. On February 10, 2026 four residents spoke: Joyce Lee on “persistent ice buildup and poor plowing and contractors pushing snow onto cleared sidewalks”; Debra Hingman on snow left far from the curb on Roberts Road and that “no one is enforcing the removal of cars from street during a snow storm”; Javahn Walker, who “asked if all roads are properly plowed”; and a Treetops Circle resident whose cleared driveway plows “consistently fill in.” The reply: “45 plow routes cover over 240 miles, and the recent storm’s extreme cold rendered salt ineffective. Acquiring specialized equipment for driveway entrances was deemed financially impractical.”
- February 24. Ms. Hingman said the township “should rethink their snow removal contractors.” Mr. Wright said enforcement of removing vehicles from streets “more than doubled during this storm.” The Manager said there are “over 2000 bus stops” and clearing them all is “impossible and not practical.” Mr. Singh said more passes and drivers “would cost more money.” The Council amended the contract with RJM Landscaping & Design for 22 routes to $450,000 for the season (Res. 26-109, 8–0).
- Later comments. Bill Connell urged “reasonable expectations; overall job deemed good” (March 10). Terri Thorpe reported plow damage at Van Wickle (May 12). On May 26 a resident, Kathleen, proposed a township-facilitated snow-removal program for seniors 65 and older; the Manager cited “legal and operational constraints, including need for bidding.”
- Next winter. The Council bought a brine tank ($68,295), spreaders and four truck chassis in June and renewed the RJM contract for 2026–27 at up to $450,000 (Res. 26-329, August 11).
Where the record’s figures differ
The size of the 2026 paving budget appears differently in the record. Each is given as recorded:
| Date | Source | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| March 10, 2026 | Mr. Vassanella, as minuted | ”target budget is around 43 million” |
| March 17, 2026 | Roads capital request | $3,000,000 for annual resurfacing |
| March 24, 2026 | Ms. Uddin, as minuted | ”the total $3 million road paving investment” |
| May 12, 2026 | Bond Ord. 4504-26 | $4,650,000 for “Roads and Sidewalks” (also guiderail, crack seal, stormwater, streetscape, striping, signals) |
| May 26, 2026 | Ms. Uddin, as minuted (in a Ward 2 roads report; the minutes do not name the program) | “the proposed budget of $3.9 million” |
| April–September 2026 | Eleven resurfacing awards | $5,756,664.40 total (LocalWhy’s sum) |
What is not known
- Which 2026 contracts the 36% asphalt increase delays or reduces.
- What NJDOT awarded for New Brunswick Road and JFK Boulevard.
- The limits of the Route 27 resurfacing contract.
- What became of the Beekman Road petition, and the results of the JFK–Winston and Princeton Highlands reviews.
- The votes of April 28, 2026, and what residents said on October 27, 2026; neither meeting has minutes posted.
What residents can do
- Speak at a Council meeting: November 10, November 24 and December 8, 2026, 7:00 p.m., 475 DeMott Lane.
- Report a road problem with the “Report a Road Condition” form on the township website.
- Ask for crosswalks or signs through the Police Traffic Safety Bureau.
- County roads (Amwell, Easton, Hamilton): contact Somerset County Engineering.
- Paving schedules are posted on the township website, and the Manager said alerts go out on Nixle.