Students, residents press council for more sidewalks; council details grant applications and long timelines

During the July 14 public-comment period, students from the Sunrise Movement and other residents asked the council to increase sidewalk construction and fill gaps on several township roads. High‑school students from the Sunrise Movement asked the council to prioritize sidewalks on Cranberry Road and Millstone Road and asked for clarity on a reported annual sidewalk-extension budget. One student told the council she and peers often cannot walk safely to local businesses or the train station because of missing sidewalks. Resident and runner Rohitash Wajain asked specifically for sidewalks on Old Trenton Road and for a lower posted speed limit; he cited frequent fast driving and a nearby Chabad family who walk to services. John Church, a 10‑year Zoning Board member, urged potential applicants to observe board meetings before applying to serve. Mayor (name on record) and council members responded with technical and scheduling details. The mayor said 2025‑R158 is a grant application to the New Jersey Department of Transportation for the Edinburgh Road bikeway connector and that R158’s scope is between Mercer County Park’s East Entrance and the Old Trenton Road intersection “if we get awarded that we would build between East Entrance and the Old Trenton Road.” The mayor said sidewalk projects are time consuming because they usually require property easements and individual agreements with affected homeowners. Council members said Millstone Road is especially difficult: the road’s speed profile limits how far the municipal government can lower the posted limit, and some sidewalk work would require a neighboring municipality (Plainsboro) to build a connecting segment. The mayor and staff said the county is studying Old Trenton Road from the Hamilton border to the East Windsor border and that any county-led changes could include a future lower speed limit; they also said the county does not pay for most sidewalks and that township funding or grants are needed. Council confirmed that money is in the capital budget and in proposed bond language for sidewalk replacement and extension programs; however, officials cautioned that design, easement negotiation and construction schedules often mean projects take multiple years. No new ordinance or immediate construction contract was approved at the meeting; council members encouraged continued advocacy, offered to share capital‑budget materials with interested students, and said they will continue to pursue grant funding and design work.