Hillsborough Township Urges Business Owners to Sign Petition

Halted Road- Widening Project is Impacting Hillsborough Businesses

The Hillsborough Township Committee and Economic and Business Development and Sustainability Office are encouraging Hillsborough business owners to sign a petition urging the Department of Transportation to resume the Route 206 road widening project. The project was halted by NJDOT in April after a dispute with the contractor.

Many Hillsborough businesses have called the Economic & Business Development and Sustainability Office to discuss how their businesses are struggling during these uncertain times and expressed frustration at not knowing when the inconvenience to their customers and businesses will end. Among the complaints are loss of signage, loss of power, and, the loss of visibility to their businesses because customers can no longer see existing signage from the road. Customers of the impacted businesses have also expressed concerns about not being able to easily access the businesses they like to frequent.

“It’s important to support the businesses that are being affected by the delay,” said Deputy Mayor Robert Britting at the September 12th Township Committee meeting. “This is the most widely-used road between Bridgewater and Hillsborough and this standstill is causing a negative impact on our community.”

The petition, posted to the Township website’s Economic & Business Development page states:

"As you may be aware, the Route 206 Widening Project, aimed at improving our town's infrastructure and enhancing the quality of life for residents and businesses, has been temporarily halted. This pause in construction has brought about significant challenges, affecting not only the flow of traffic but also the health, safety, and economic vitality of our town.

"We kindly ask for your support in advocating for the swift resumption of construction on Route 206. Your voice, as a respected business in our community, holds significant weight and influence. By expressing your support, you will contribute to the collective effort to ensure the successful completion of this crucial project.

"Please consider signing this petition, which calls on the relevant authorities to prioritize and expedite the continuation of construction on Route 206. Your signature will send a powerful message that our community is united in its commitment to progress and growth."

The project was scheduled to be completed in 2024 but now has been pushed back to sometime in 2026. Mayor Shawn Lipani sent a letter to the DOT informing them of how critical this project is and the impact it would have on Hillsborough residents and businesses, as well as the traffic that uses that highway every day. Mayor Lipani, also reached out to State Senator Andrew Zwicker and State Assemblyman Roy Frieman asking them to intervene on the Township’s behalf.

"We're trying to do anything possible to help move the project forward,” stated Economic & Business Develop,ment and Sustainability Director Zuzan Karas.

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