Princeton Council aims to convert a dangerous intersection on Jefferson Road into a four-way stop. Ordinance 2025-10, establishing a new four-way stop at the intersection of Jefferson Road and Terhune Road, is set to be introduced at the Council meeting on Monday, May 12, 2025.

At present, this interaction is a two-way stop, with Stop signs placed on the approaches from Terhune Road. Traffic on Jefferson Road does not have to stop at this intersection. There have been regular crashes, however, as drivers misunderstand or disregard the rules for entering the intersection.

As noted in a memo from the municipal engineers, the town has previously tried a number of different measures to remind drivers on Terhune Road that they have to stop. These have included adding ‘rumble strips’ on the road on the approaches to the intersection, adding gigantic highway-sized Stop signs on both sides of the road, and more signs saying “Cross Traffic Does Not Stop”. The difference between the intersection today and what it was like in years gone by is visible in past photos published on ‘Walkable Princeton’ (Report from 2016: Princeton Traffic Calming Now Comes With Extra Rumble Rumble).

None of these measures have been successful in reducing the rate of crashes, leading the town to propose the change to a four-way stop. The changes to the intersection will mean that traffic on Jefferson Road will also have to come to a full stop before entering the intersection. As is the case at all four-way stop intersections, drivers may only proceed after allowing vehicles that were waiting at any of the entrances to the intersection to proceed before them. Adding Stop signs is not a trivial matter, and the town had to do a traffic study justifying the change before proposing the alteration.

As is the case with any municipal ordinance, there will be a public hearing at a future date to hear feedback from local residents before the changes are approved. For this proposal, the public hearing is scheduled for the Council meeting on Monday, May 27.

Related links:

• Ordinance 2025-10, which proposes to establish a four-way stop at Jefferson Road and Terhune Road.
• Memo from Princeton Engineering Department explaining the need for the changes.