Hunterdon County Commissioners encourage NJDOT to explore alternative to proposed rockfall mitigation plan
HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ – Hunterdon County Deputy Director Commissioner, Jeff Kuhl and Commissioner, Susan J. Soloway, along with Congressman Tom Kean Jr., attended an informational forum on April 10, at the Kingwood Township Municipal Building, to learn more about the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s (NJDOT) proposed rockfall mitigation plan and tour the projected land areas.
The Board of County Commissioners previously passed a resolution on, April 20, 2021, requesting that the NJDOT and the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) examine alternatives to the proposed rockfall mitigation plan and called for a pause moving forward with the rockfall plan for Route 29 in Hunterdon County.
Commissioner Soloway, the Board’s representative to the NJTPA said, “The resolution was passed so that the NJDOT and NJTPA could take a step back and look for alternate less invasive solutions to this proposed rock mitigation project. Specifically assessing, saving money, and lessening environmental damage to a federally designed Scenic Byway. The rockfall plan is designed to protect the driving public on Route 29 in Kingwood from falling rocks, but to date NJDOT has no records of accidents or injuries because of rockfall in this area.” Residents and officials, along with the County Commissioners and Congressman Kean, are concerned that the rockfall mitigation project would negatively affect three miles of Route 29 in Kingwood Township, including the Devil’s Tea Table area and a one mile stretch in Lambertville and West Amwell.
Destructive impacts could include damage to local wells from any rock blasting that may occur, proposed detour plans that would increase traffic congestion and reduce safety, environmental degradation, and extinction of endangered animals, officials said.
Commissioner Deputy Director, Jeff Kuhl, who is the liaison to the Department of Economic Development & Tourism said, “This area along Route 29, is federally designated as a ‘Wild & Scenic’ corridor that has unique local historical and geological significance. It is also a sacred area that holds religious significance to Native American peoples. The project has the potential to affect the water quality of the Delaware River, and negatively impact tourism.”
For more information on the rockfall projects visit, www.lowerdelawarewildandscenic.org.
