Deal approves W. Windsor bike path

WEST WINDSOR - Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and the Route 1 highway will soon no longer be the two dominant features on maps of the township.

Those thoroughfares will soon be joined by a third continuous path through West Windsor - a bike trail under the shadows of the Public Service Electric & Gas Co. utility line.

The trail, beginning in Community Park near Plainsboro and ending in Mercer County Park in southern West Windsor, was agreed to verbally in the last few weeks by local officials and PSE&G, Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said.

"I am excited because so much federal and state money is being spent," Hsueh said. "Otherwise, we would have had to give all the money back."

A bow truss bridge spanning the Big Bear Brook in Community Park at the start of the trail will be built with a $200,000 federal grant, Hsueh said.

The trail's path will be created with $100,000 in state funding and run along the PSE&G easement, property owned by the utilities company, Hsueh said. The township is also spending $100,000 to toward the project.

"This is one of the first in the state with a bike trail on PSE&G property," the mayor said. He said township attorney, Michael Herbert Sr. has been working with the company to draw up an agreement.

Construction of the bridge could begin in late August, township engineer Jim Parveese said, with its completion by May. Creating the path is also expected to begin shortly after the finalized agreement is signed by the township and PSE&G.

There are several trails along utility lines in other towns around the state, a PSE&G spokeswoman said yesterday, but West Windsor's may be the first such bike-friendly trail.

"Permission (for the West Windsor trail) was granted on a special set of circumstances," Jennifer Connell said. "The town has agreed to reimburse PSE&G for liability insurance along the trail and they are obligated to maintain and control the right-of-way," she said.

The township council viewed the special agreement at a meeting Monday with Herbert and Hsueh. Several clauses in the agreement raised concern among the council.

A 30-day termination of ownership notice is included in the agreement and means that PSE&G can reclaim the property.

"It's a calculated risk (for the township)," Councilwoman Alison Miller said. "But it seems well worth it."

The liability to the township if a PSE&G worker was hurt on the path while working is also a risk, Councilwoman Kristin Appelget added.

"But we have to remember that PSE&G is doing this as a favor to us," Herbert told the council. "We have to keep that in mind when we agree to this."

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