Forbes roundabout opens for business
Daily Princetonian Staff and Anna WindemuthThe intersection ofAlexander Street and University Place that faces Forbes College will reopen as a roundabout onMonday morning after several months of construction, meeting the planned deadline despite inclement weather. The new traffic circle is ‘Phase 1’ of the ongoing Arts and Transit Neighborhood, a $300 million University project set to include new rehearsal and performance spaces as well as a permanently relocated Dinky station. The roundabout offers an illuminated, motion-activated crosswalk rather than a stoplight. "Given the extraordinarily cold temperatures and the snow that we’ve had thus far, I’m very pleased and really proud of the team that’s out there, working really hard to stay on schedule,"Director of Community and Regional Affairs Kristin Appelget said. Although the pedestrian route to the Wawa convenience store, a popular destination for University students in search of late-night snacks, will no longer be obstructed by metal fences, the sidewalk on the east side of Alexander Street will remain closed and vehicular access to the reconfigured Wawa parking lot will be restricted to one side of University Place.The new Wawa store is set to open next fall, and will be located within the Dinky transit complex around 450 feet from the station’s original location. Appelget noted that a team of University correspondents stays in touch with Wawa representatives to ensure sufficient signage and communication with the general public about possible detours and traffic changes.
