Portion of Witherspoon Street is now a one-way street to add space for dining, numerous parking spots removed

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Workers place concrete barriers on Witherspoon Street Tuesday morning.

On Monday night, the Princeton Council adopted an ordinance that allows the governing body, by resolution, to close all or part of sidewalks and streets, suspend or alter parking regulations, block off parking spaces and loading areas, and reserve or re-designate parking spaces and loading areas. Restaurants are also allowed to temporarily expand their outdoor dining footprints as part of the ordinance with the approval of the governing body.

The ordinance is in effect for 120 days and can be extended for another 60 day

As part of the ordinance, officials decided to make Witherspoon Street between Nassau Street and Spring Street a one-way street that is accessible from Nassau Street heading north. On Tuesday morning, parking spaces were removed, street signage was added, and cement barricades were put in place to create expanded outdoor dining areas for people who buy coffee and food from downtown businesses so people can sit down and eat. Two restaurants on Hinds Plaza have also been given permission to expand their existing outdoor seating areas further into the plaza.

The New Jersey Transit 605 bus stop near the Princeton Public Library on Witherspoon Street has been temporarily discontinued and transit riders must use the bus stop on Witherspoon Street near Green Street. New Jersey Transit will use Route 206 and Paul Robeson Place as the detour route.

Officials also created numerous curbside pickup zones downtown as well. Leaving unattended vehicles in those curbside pick-up areas is prohibited.

The hope is that more people will support downtown businesses, and residents will be able to enjoy themselves while safely practicing social distancing. The move was supported by bike and pedestrian advocates and some businesses, but other business owners have expressed concerns about the elimination of so much parking in town. Some business owners expressed concern on a call with officials last week and said they were blindsided Monday night when several changes were added to the plan.

Following are all the provisions contained in the ordinance:

Witherspoon Street

  • Suspend on-street metered parking (west and east sides) between Nassau Street and Spring Street to accommodate outdoor dining. Metered parking may be retained at the discretion of the town’s COVID-19 Compliance Committee.
  • Suspend on-street metered parking, west side, between Hulfish Street and Paul
    Robeson Place for outdoor dining and curbside pickup zone.
  • Establish Witherspoon Street as one-way northbound from Nassau Street between
    Nassau Street and Spring Street.
  • Establish a stop control on southbound Witherspoon Street at Spring Street.
  • Suspend loading zones between Nassau Street and Spring Street.
  • Create a pickup zone from Nassau Street to Spring Street.
  • Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces on the west side between
    Torrey Lane and Quarry Street for a curbside pickup zone.
  • Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces on the east side between
    Franklin Avenue and Albert Way for a curbside pickup zone.
  • Temporarily discontinue the New Jersey Transit bus stop #30511 at the southeast corner of the Witherspoon Street / Wiggins Street at the Princeton Public Library.

Hulfish Street

  • Curbside pick-up and outdoor dining are proposed on Hulfish Street. On the Witherspoon Street to Palmer Square East block, outdoor dining and queuing space will be provided in the cartway.
  • Suspend on-street metered parking (north side) between Witherspoon Street and
    Palmer Square East.
  • Create an outdoor dining area on the south side of Hulfish between Witherspoon Street and Palmer Square East in an existing no parking zone.
  • Create a queuing area on the north side of Hulfish Street between Witherspoon Street and Palmer Square East in the suspended metered parking.
  • Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces on the north side between Palmer Square East and West for curbside pickup.
  • Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces on the north side between Palmer Square West and Chamber Street for curbside pickup

Leigh Avenue

Suspend on-street non-metered parking (north side) east of John Street for a curbside pickup zone.

Palmer Square West

  • Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces on the west side of Palmer Square West for queuing.
  • Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces on the west side for curbside pickup.

Palmer Square East

Suspend on-street metered parking in one parking space on the west side for outdoor dining. Suspend on-street metered parking in one parking space on the east side for curbside pickup.

Palmer Square South

Create a curbside pickup area in an existing no-parking area on the south side of Palmer Square South between the two legs of Palmer Square West.

Chambers Street

Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces on the east side between Nassau Street and Hulfish Street for curbside pickup.

Spring Street

Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces on the south side between Witherspoon Street and South Tulane Street for curbside pickup.

South Tulane Street

Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces on the west side between Nassau Street and Spring Street for curbside pickup.

Olden Lane

Suspend on-street metered parking in one parking space on the west side between Nassau Street and William Street for curbside pickup.

Nassau Street/Route 27

Establish curbside loading zones in existing parking spaces as follows:

  • Southbound (westerly side)
    o Suspend on-street metered parking in four parking spaces between Chestnut
    Street and Pine Street for curbside pickup.
    o Suspend on-street metered parking in four parking spaces between Moore
    Street and Vandeventer Avenue for curbside pickup.
    o Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces between Vandeventer
    Avenue and South Tulane Street for curbside pickup.
    o Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces between South Tulane
    Street and Witherspoon Street for curbside pickup.
    o Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces between Witherspoon
    Street and Palmer Square East for curbside pickup.
    o Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces between Palmer
    Square West and John Street Alley for curbside pickup.
    o Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces between John Street
    Alley and Chambers Street for curbside pickup.
    o Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces between Chambers
    Street and Bank Street for curbside pickup.

Tulane Parking Yard, Sylvia Beach Way

Suspend metered parking in the diagonal spaces for curbside pickup.establish an expanded loading zone for curbside pickup on Sylvia Beach Way,

University Place

Suspend on-street metered parking in two parking spaces between Alexander Street and College Road for curbside pickup.

Alexander Street

Establish a curbside pickup area in an existing no-parking zone on the east side of the street,

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Workers close off Witherspoon Street Tuesday to place barriers on the street.
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Witherspoon Street is now blocked off for southbound traffic, which must take Spring Street to Vandeventer Avenue now. Photo: Steve Goldin.
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Avatar of Krystal Knapp

Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.

2 Comments

  1. Has this change which affects the traffic signal on the State Highway been approved by NJDOT?

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