Best of 2005 Awards

Route 28 at Westfield Circle

Award of Merit: Highway and Roadway

The reconfiguring of a traffic circle on Route 28 in Westfield, N.J., is proof that good construction projects sometimes come in small packages, according to the Best of 2005 judges.

"You have to give recognition to these small projects, just for getting them done, for making a difference in the community," one judge said. "It's so important."

The $2.4 million project's main goal was to reconfigure the traffic circle into a "modern roundabout" in order to improve traffic safety along Route 28, an east-west roadway that connects Somerset, Middlesex, and Union counties. The project, undertaken on behalf of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, wrapped up in July.

The road's prior configuration gave motorists entering the circle the false impression that they had the right-of-way. This led them to enter unsafely by failing to yield to vehicles already in the circle.

The department blamed numerous traffic accidents on the confusing configuration. From January 1998 to December 2000, there were 255 accidents in and adjacent to the circle. The majority of accidents were sideswipes and front- and rear-end collisions at entrance and exit points to the circle.

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The major component of the project was to make the approaches to the circle more radial, forcing motorists to turn to the right in order to enter the traffic flow. The change visually reinforces the concept that drivers entering the circle must yield to vehicles already in it.

The project also involved repositioning islands and constructing curbs within the right-of-way in order to improve the channeling of traffic at the circle's entrances.

"It seems like a small project and yet there was a lot of work involved," one judge said. "Trying to do the job and maintain traffic in what was clearly an obsolete structure must have been difficult."

The project team also made spot adjustments during construction. For instance, after the team removed overlay and brick pavers on the roadway, it determined that the existing pavement was in prime condition. After confirming that the area had limited truck traffic, the team decided it was unnecessary to replace the full depth of pavement, resulting in cost savings.

Another noteworthy aspect was how the team increased the vertical clearance under a railroad bridge carrying New Jersey Transit's Raritan Valley Line near the circle. The team had to lower the profile of the roadway by several inches to remove the existing pavement, a concrete base covered by brick pavers and asphalt overlay, and replace it with full-depth asphalt.

The project, which took place next to an historic district and nearby parkland, also incorporated streetscaping, ornamental lighting, paved walkways, and landscaping work. The team worked closely with the transportation department and local officials to generate a collaborative result.

"They're the hardest jobs to get done - everybody's looking," said one judge. "It makes a huge difference for the community."

Key Players

Owner: New Jersey Department of Transportation

Contractor: Perrello Inc.

Structural-Mechanical-Electrical-Geotechnical Engineer: Edwards and Kelcey

Concrete: Berto Construction

Traffic Lights: Faigon Electric