With winter upon us, Mercer County Executive Brian H. Hughes reminds residents that Mercer County Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOT&I) is prepared to provide quick response to County roadway maintenance incidents that result from weather conditions. Year-round, crews provide response for weather-related incidents, roadway hazards, urgent roadway repairs, pavement maintenance problems, traffic control and detour-signs twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Crews are in the field daily, performing roadside and rainwater drainage system, roadway and guiderail safety repairs, culvert and bridge replacement, and debris and overgrowth sweeps.
When winter weather hits, crews are available 24/7 for emergency response to clear roadways, remove fallen trees, repair streetlights, fix traffic signal malfunctions and keep traffic moving safely. Flooded roads are monitored and closed when necessary.
Although crews are in the field every day, your assistance, especially during bad weather conditions, is important. Report roadway issues listed below by calling 609-530-7510 or by emailing [email protected]
Fallen Trees and Branches: During severe weather conditions, crews may clear just the material in the roadway and move on to the next incident. Additional cleanup work is performed when crews have handled all incidents that require immediate attention. Please note: Trees or branches that fall on private roads or property are the responsibility of the property owner. Property owners should contact a private tree service for fallen trees or branches on private property.
Flooded Roads: Crews respond immediately to flooded roads and attempt to clear what is causing the problem right away. If the flooded road cannot be cleared, signage will be placed to close the road and maintenance crews will work to continue to clear the roadway.
Plugged Culverts (a tunnel carrying a stream or open drain under a road or railroad): If a culvert is plugged, DOT&I crews will flush the culvert until it is clear.
Traffic Signal Out: Technicians are dispatched immediately to make repairs to traffic signals that are out or malfunctioning.
Downed Street Signs and Stop Signs: Street signs will be replaced as soon as possible. Downed stop signs are a priority and Mercer County’s goal is to have them back up immediately following notification (within two hours).
Plugged Storm Drains: A major cause of localized street flooding. Call 311, give the location and the Department of Water Resources will dispatch crews to remove leaves and/or other debris from the drain.
Winter Weather and Storm Preparation: DOT’s level of winter storm preparedness begins with an evaluation of advisories received from a contracted weather service, as well as a detailed explanation from meteorologists. This is generally done well in advance of a storm and considers factors such as temperature, start and peak time of the storm, wind speed, amount of precipitation, and the effect on traffic. Once decisions are made and preparation is complete, the county’s fleet is equipped to handle all 425 lane miles of roadways in the county including parts of Trenton-Mercer Airport. During the actual storm event, the county will continue to monitor all aspects of the storm, and meticulously observe its movement. This will allow supervisors to adjust and respond accordingly with the necessary equipment and personnel should a storm escalate beyond the forecast.
