Hillcrest Road Safety Project To Be Discussed At Public Meeting

WATCHUNG, NJ — Somerset County’s Engineering Division will host a public meeting to update residents on planned safety improvements along County Route 531, also known as Hillcrest Road, in Watchung.

The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 29, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Watchung Municipal Building, 15 Mountain Blvd. The presentation will begin at 7 p.m.

Residents will be able to ask questions, see a slide presentation and hear from county engineers and consultant representatives about the project timeline, potential detours and construction staging.

The proposed work covers sections of Hillcrest Road from Valley Road to Crestwood Drive.

According to the project description, the improvements are intended to address road safety concerns identified through data collection, completed studies and engineering analyses.

Hillcrest Road is a major north-south commuter link from Route 78 to Route 22, with average daily traffic volumes exceeding 20,000 vehicles.

The roadway has steep curved grades and slippery conditions, particularly in wet weather, and the alignment creates very limited stopping sight distance for motorists traveling along the corridor.

The project materials also state that there are sight-triangle obstructions for vehicles entering Hillcrest Road from High Oaks Drive and Ridge Road.

Somerset County said the project has been divided into phases to address recommendations from multiple safety evaluations and respond to input from the public and local officials.

Earlier work already completed includes High Friction Surface Treatment installed in 2017 and reinstalled during resurfacing in 2020, as well as Phase I roadway safety improvements completed in fall 2020.

According to county documents, a before-and-after crash comparison study found the High Friction Surface Treatment reduced crashes by 35 percent.

The county also reported that signage changes on the southern section of Hillcrest Road were completed in summer 2022.

Other work remains in progress or under review.

A restriping and traffic control proposal near the Interstate 78 interchange has been submitted to the New Jersey Department of Transportation and is under review.

A separate truck and weight limit signage review found adequate restriction signs in the study area, but insufficient signage directing trucks from I-78 to Route 22 by alternate routes without weight restrictions.

Phase II roadway safety improvements are under design, with construction anticipated to begin in 2027, according to the project outline.

Proposed features include wider and more uniform shoulders, intersection sight distance improvements near High Oaks Drive, a flashing beacon at High Oaks Drive and Ridge Road, drainage and grading work, an intelligent queue detection system, guiderail replacements, repaving with High Friction Surface Treatment and a new channelizing turn island at Valley Road.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.