Resident and district officials urge county to adjust signal timing after bridge closure

Neil Lewis, the Plainsboro Township public safety liaison, urged the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District Board of Education to keep student safety central after a Mercer County bridge closure altered traffic patterns near the school complex.

Lewis told the board that county and Middlesex officials were cooperating to install a traffic signal at a complicated intersection he called “somewhat dangerous,” noting that the timing and sensing at the light may not be optimal for the increased morning traffic. “The main factor is still the safety of our students and also of our residents,” Lewis said.

Board leadership and district staff responded that local police can monitor the intersection but cannot change the signal’s timing. “The officers themselves cannot adjust the light,” said Arrow, the district superintendent. “They can note it. They can give feedback, but the engineers have to actually observe it.”

The superintendent said district and township officials have asked county engineers to review timing and sensor settings and that police have been present at the intersection to provide on-the-ground observations during peak times. The board emphasized that final changes to signal timing rest with the county engineer because the roads involved are county-owned.

The exchange took place during the meeting’s public comment period, when residents may raise concerns directly to the board. No formal motion or board action on the signal timing was recorded at the meeting.

District officials encouraged any families experiencing transportation problems to report them directly to the district transportation department so staff can log and act on issues rather than relying on social media reports.

Board materials and speakers did not specify a timeline for any county-engineer adjustments or provide a county contact for follow-up.