New Princeton Circulation Element Proposes Reopening Province Line Road To Cars

Posted on December 11, 2013 by walkableprinceton
Province Line bike-ped bridge could become a road for cars again according to Princeton's Circulation Element. (Click to expand.)

Province Line bridge could become a road for cars again according to Princeton’s recently-revised Masterplan Circulation Element. (Click to expand.)

The bridge you see in the photograph above provides a crossing over the Stony Brook on Province Line Road in Princeton. It was built in Berlin, Connecticut in 1903 and is the longest of three surviving Warren pony truss bridges in Mercer County. It was closed in 1981, but rehabilitated and re-opened (to bikes and pedestrians only) in 2012. What happens to this route now could be an indicator of the direction that Princeton’s transportation policy is going to take in the coming years. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Biking, Complete Streets, Princeton, Traffic, Transit, Walking | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Princeton PhD Students Let Down By University, Town Housing Policies

Posted on December 10, 2013 by walkableprinceton
The little cabins of Princeton's Butler Apartments look set to face the wrecking ball in summer 2014. (click to expand.)

The little cabins of Princeton’s Butler Apartments look set to face the wrecking ball in summer 2014. (click to expand.)

Princeton University is planning to demolish graduate student housing at their Butler Apartments site on S Harrison Street, but not everybody thinks it’s a good idea. Writing in ‘The Daily Princetonian’, University Professor Anthony Grafton expressed disappointment that the University was reducing its provision for housing for graduate students. Meanwhile, graduate students are circulating a petition to keep Butler open, because it provides a large amount of affordable housing. Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, Community, Density, People, Princeton, Smart Growth, Zoning | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Walkable Princeton Meet-Up RESCHEDULED to Monday, December 16.

Posted on December 10, 2013 by walkableprinceton

Hi everybody- sorry to post again about our upcoming Happy Hour, but given the pretty substantial snow out there, we have decided that it’s for the best if we postpone tonight’s meet-up to next Monday, December 16. We’re going to do it at the same time (7 p.m.) and the same place (Yankee Doodle Tap Room). Just next Monday. Hope to see some of you there! (Full, up-to-date details here.)

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Walkable Princeton Meet-Up *RESCHEDULED* to Monday, December 16!

Posted on December 9, 2013 by walkableprinceton
Come join us at Yankee Doodle Tap Room on Tuesday evening. (click to expand.)

Come join us at Yankee Doodle Tap Room on Tuesday evening. Picturesque snow guaranteed. (click to expand.)

NOTE: Our meet-up has been rescheduled to Monday, December 16 because of the blizzard! Hope to see you then, and apologies if you made plans for tonight (12/10/13)

This week Next Monday, we are hosting the third of our Walkable Princeton meet-ups. This time, we are going to get together at Yankee Doodle Tap room in the heart of walkable downtown Princeton.  Why not swing by while you’re doing some holiday shopping in some of our great local businesses? We’ll be chatting about ways to make Princeton more walkable and livable. Full details are below: Continue reading →

Posted in Events, Princeton | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Meet-Up Time! Join Us At Yankee Doodle Tap Room – Tue, Dec 10.

Posted on December 7, 2013 by walkableprinceton

We are going to hold our next Walkable Princeton get-together this coming Tuesday, December 10 at the Yankee Doodle Tap Room in downtown Princeton. Come join the WP team from 7 p.m. as we talk livability and walkability in Princeton! More details on Monday…

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Why Is Princeton Council Funding A Gym At The Valley Road School Site?

Posted on December 6, 2013 by walkableprinceton
Princeton fire department wants more space at their site on Witherspoon Street. (click to expand.)

Princeton fire department wants more space for their firehouse at Witherspoon Street and Valley Road. (click to expand.)

Princeton Council recently voted to redirect $768,000 of grant money to new projects. The grant money was awarded by Mercer County in 2006 to install synthetic playing fields at Greenway Meadows park. Princeton has failed to even start the project, leading Mercer County to demand that we hurry up and spend the money so they can close out the grant program. But one of the projects approved for spending out the grant is raising eyebrows… Continue reading →

Posted in Princeton, Smart Growth, Zoning | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Tiger Trees Of The D&R Canal Trail In Princeton, NJ

Posted on December 5, 2013 by walkableprinceton
View of the D&R Canal from the towpath trail in Princeton, near Alexander Road. (click to expand.)

View of the D&R Canal from the towpath trail in Princeton, near Alexander Road. (click to expand.)

This post is part of a series where we celebrate the many beautiful and characterful sights of Princeton, NJ. You can find previous entries in this series here and here or by searching our site for posts tagged ‘beautiful walkable Princeton’.

We previously wrote about how the D&R Canal Greenway should be a model for other parks in Princeton. It is extraordinarily beautiful to watch as the seasons change here, surrounded on either side by the waters of Lake Carnegie and the D&R canal itself.  Continue reading →

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Latest Princeton Hospital Site Court Action Looks Like A Lost Cause.

Posted on December 4, 2013 by walkableprinceton
Despite ten years of planning to replace this hospital tower in Princeton, a new company fronted by Princeton residents wants more planning. (click to expand.)

Despite ten years of planning to replace this hospital tower in Princeton, a new company fronted by Princeton residents wants more planning. (click to expand.)

As Princeton University professors write letters criticizing the lack of suitable rental housing in Princeton, and affordable housing charities search for more opportunities to add housing for moderate-income families, some Princeton residents are organizing to block redevelopment of the old Princeton hospital site. The redevelopment plan, which was approved by the Planning Board in August, would add 56 affordable apartments and 224 market-rate units. Given the lack of walkable housing in Princeton (an issue which results in 44,000 daily car trips to bring Princeton employees to work), it would be a bad outcome if housing plans were blocked or downsized at this highly-suitable, walkable infill site. However, the latest court action which aims to block the redevelopment appears to have minimal chances of success.

Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, Density, Princeton, Smart Growth, Zoning | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Highland Park, NJ Gets Small Details Right For Walkable Placemaking

Posted on December 3, 2013 by walkableprinceton
hpplacemaking1

Great design means this seating area in Highland Park, NJ is more than just a bench- it’s an authentic miniature plaza. (click to expand.)

You see an ordinary bench. We see an authentic miniature plaza. Highland Park, a half hour north of Princeton on NJ Route 27, is showing how to make great walkable places. Here’s why. Continue reading →

Posted in Complete Streets, Downtown Vibrancy, Local, Placemaking, The Parking Question, Walking | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

US Route 1 In Princeton: Too Big To Fail.

Posted on December 2, 2013 by walkableprinceton
US-1 next to Princeton, NJ, viewed from the bridge at Scudders Mill Road. (Click to expand.)

US-1 next to Princeton, NJ, viewed from the bridge at Scudders Mill Road. (Click to expand.)

In the coming months, the municipalities of West Windsor, NJ and Princeton, NJ will announce a new plan to expand Route 1 in association with NJDOT. While it’s easy to understand why they want to do this, expanding Route 1 continues a futile effort to relieve traffic congestion by making space for more cars. New Jersey and Princeton in particular ought to show more creativity in finding real solutions for regional transportation. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Local, Princeton, Smart Growth, Sustainability, Traffic, Transit, Zoning | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments