West Windsor mayor outlines budget hires, presses county on Route 571; council adopts Princeton Junction zoning change

West Windsor Mayor Hemant Arathi on March 3 presented highlights of the township’s 2025 budget that add seven new positions for public safety and maintenance and reiterated ongoing efforts to advance county-led improvements on Route 571.

Arathi told the council the Route 571 project — which he said has been on drawing boards for “15, 20 years” — is funded in part by a federal grant tied to a council resolution from 2004 and will go to bid in two sections, with the first section expected to be advertised this summer. “If we stop the project now, it’s probably next 70 years. It won’t be done till, all of us have moved out,” Arathi said, urging continued momentum on the corridor project.

The mayor summarized budget staffing additions and service plans: two new police officers, two emergency medical technicians (to start a 6 a.m.–3 p.m. dedicated ambulance seven days a week with a stated long‑term goal of 24/7 coverage), two additional public works employees and one person for building and grounds. Arathi said the budget shows no municipal tax increase and highlighted rising fund balance…