Save the Victory Trail & Jacobs Creek Bridge

Are the Hopewell residents ready for Bear Tavern Road to become the next Route 31? If the bridge is replaced as the county plans, that may be the final result.
Let's be clear. If you think this discussion is about just replacing a "rickety old bridge" than you may want to dig a little deeper. Yes, the Jacobs Creek Bear Tavern Bridge discussion has been going on for a very long time. What people may not understand is that what was originally just a discussion about replacing a historic bridge is really about a major road project that will affect the quality of life for Mountain View and Titusville residents and higher tax issues for everyone in Mercer County.Mercer County can shore up the existing bridge for approximately $1 miliion. This remedy will have no major impact on the surrounding communities. Done deal.
Mercer County wants to build a new bridge for approximately $5 million. This proposal is not just about replacing the bridge. It includes widening the road and giving access of Bear Tavern Road to the largest vehicles possible. This includes tractor-trailers. Bear Tavern Road connects directly to I-95. If you live in Mountain View, you should be concerned about the added traffic, including the tractor trailer that wants a direct route to the interstate. Remember Ortho- McNeil-Janssen, the large Pharmaceutical company is just to the north of Mountain View. They are just itching to get straight access to 95 for their 18 wheelers via the Mountain View neighborhoods. And don't think if you don't live directly on Bear Tavern Rd. you won't hear the increased truck traffic because you will. Trucks are loud and you will hear them deep into your presently quiet Mountain View neighborhoods as well. Other large vehicles will begin using Bear Taven Road to gain quicker access to 95. As traffic increases, are traffic lights soon to follow? And what other so called "progress" will follow? The residential atmosphere will be lost. The heavy traffic could continue to rumble it's way north deep into Hopewell.
So that everyone understands, this is not just a Hopewell issue. This is a Mercer County issue. Bear Tavern Road is a county road and our County Executive and Freeholders are the ones making the final decisions. They are the ones that need to hear our concerns. As a tax payer would you rather pay for a $1 million dollar bridge or a $5 million bridge? If you live in Titusville or Mountain View or further north are you prepared for the 18 Wheelers barreling through your neighborhoods? Please realize, until the work begins, it is not a done deal; There is still hope to change the outcome. Because this has been a long term discussion is even more reason for concerned citizens to speak up now to make a difference in the final outcome. This assault on our quality of life and wallets needs to stop.
There is no advantage for the average Mercer County citizen for this project. There are major economic, quality of life, and historic issues at risk. Write and email your County Executive Brian Hughes and your freeholders, Anthony P. Carabelli, Ann M. Cannon, Dan Benson, John A. Cimino, Pasquale "Pat" Colavita, Jr., Keith V. Hamilton, Lucylle R. S. Walter. Write to the newspaper.