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Getting Around Montgomery: Route 206, the Loop Roads, Transit and Road Safety
Residents told the master plan consultant that getting around Montgomery is their top concern. This explainer covers the Route 206/518 loop roads and the left-turn ban that has not started, who has to order it, the state, county and township road projects on the record, the one bus line, the transportation survey, fatal-crash data, what is not known, and what residents can do.
What this page covers
This page gathers the public record on getting around Montgomery: driving on Route 206 and the county roads, walking and biking, buses, and road safety. It draws on township minutes and notices, meeting captions, state transportation records and news reports.
Two related projects have their own pages. Orchard Road, the street is being redesigned with a sidewalk and bicycle markings. The Belle Mead Station plan includes a park-and-ride lot. This page links to them and does not repeat them.
What residents said
At the Planning Board on October 12, 2026, the consultant updating the master plan reported what residents had told her. According to the uncorrected captions, she said: “The number one concern that we found through community engagement is related to mobility.” Residents “cited that getting in and out around Montgomery is difficult without access to a private vehicle.”
Her first draft recommendation, she said, “is developing an interconnected bike and pedestrian network,” including “sidewalk and trail connections, bike lanes, coordinating with the county’s bike hike and walk plan.” She also mentioned a suggestion from a listening session to “investigate shuttle or bus service coming from Mercer County.” The draft is due in early November 2026. See the master plan reexamination and the timeline entry.
The township ran its own transportation survey in the first half of 2026. On May 14 the Township Administrator said it was “closing with almost 600 participants.” Early findings were reported on June 18; the full results have not been presented. At the August 6, 2026 Committee meeting a speaker, not identified in the captions, described Montgomery as having been called “the transportation desert of New Jersey.”
The Route 206 and Route 518 loop roads
What they are. The township counts four loop roads near the Route 206 and Route 518 intersection. The township says they are meant “to improve traffic flow and relieve congestion at the intersection of Routes 206 and 518.” Its Traffic Circulation page calls them part of “a multi-year plan by the Township to relieve congestion at the main intersections of Route 206 along the commercial corridor between Route 518 and Cherry Valley Road.”
Who built them. Developers built them as conditions of their approvals. A 2022 planning review of the Montgomery Promenade quotes an earlier approval: “All master plan roads and the improvements to Routes 206 and 518 to be constructed in Phase 1 shall be completed prior to the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy for Phase 1.” The October 16, 2025 minutes describe a pre-2018 township policy to “have developers construct the 2003 Master Plan loop roads to alleviate traffic on Route 206.” The township’s 2026 notice calls them “a key component of the Township’s 2002 Master Plan.” The two records give different years. See the Promenade issue and the 2018 Promenade approval.
When they opened. According to the township:
- “The first loop road, Brecknell Way, opened in April 2024.”
- Nevius Boulevard and Bolmer Corner were “expected to open to the public” on Friday, August 7, 2026.
- Village Drive was “tentatively scheduled to open” on Monday, August 10, 2026.
The Montgomery News reported on August 10 that the new roads were open. On September 3 the Township Administrator said the township was receiving feedback on “the new loop roads that recently opened.”
The left-turn restriction
What the township says will change. The township’s traffic page says: “Once the Promenade roads are open, drivers will no longer be able to make left turns directly from Route 206 onto Route 518. Instead, motorists will use the new loop roads to access Route 518.” Its directions are:
- Northbound on Route 206, turning toward Hopewell: “Turn left onto Nevius Boulevard (across from Benjamin Boulevard), then Continue through the traffic circle, then Turn left onto Route 518 at the traffic light. If you miss Nevius Boulevard, use Village Drive instead.”
- Southbound on Route 206, turning toward Rocky Hill: “Go past Route 518 and turn right onto Bolmer Corner (off ramp to Route 518). Alternate routes are Nevius Boulevard and Village Drive.”
- Right turns: “There is no change for drivers making right turns onto Route 518 from either direction on Route 206.”
It has not started. The township’s August 4, 2026 notice says: “The restriction on left turns from Route 206 onto Route 518 will not be implemented immediately. The timing for that restriction will be provided at a later date. The intent is to give drivers an opportunity to become familiar with the loop roads before the turn restriction takes effect.” This site found no later notice through October 23, 2026. The October 1 minutes and October 15 captions do not mention it.
Who has to order it. Route 206 is a state highway. Turn rules on it are set by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT). The township explained the process in a June 18, 2026 resolution about a different Route 206 driveway (Res. #26-6-190): “in order to legally establish these turn prohibitions, the New Jersey Department of Transportation is required to promulgate a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO),” and “an initial step in the TRO process is to receive a Resolution of support from the municipal governing body.”
This site searched the Township Committee minutes posted from March 2025 through October 1, 2026. None contains a resolution of support for a left-turn ban at Route 206 and Route 518. NJDOT’s published list of Route 206 turn rules, last updated September 13, 2022, lists only driveway restrictions in Montgomery. Whether NJDOT has been asked for an order, or has drafted one, is not public.
Since the roads opened. On September 17, 2026, Committee Member Herring reported that the Transportation Advisory Committee “continues to collect feedback and comments regarding the new loop roads and will be working with members of the State Department of Transportation regarding Highway 206 and Somerset County regarding Route 518 on signage and the timing of lights and other potential adjustments.” No traffic counts or travel times since the opening have been published.
State and county projects
The state’s capital program. NJDOT’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Program for fiscal 2026 to 2035 lists two projects in Montgomery. Neither is on Route 206.
| Project | Sponsor | Total listed |
|---|---|---|
| Camp Meeting Avenue bridge over the Trenton Line (CR 602) | NJDOT | $18.06 million |
| Great Road (CR 601) bridge over Bedens Brook | Somerset County | $6.85 million |
The program says the Camp Meeting Avenue bridge “provides a single lane of traffic” and was “built in 1889.” Its replacement is to be “designed so as not to preclude improvements needed to reintroduce passenger service to the West Trenton Line.”
Route 206 maintenance. WRNJ reported in November 2024 that NJDOT would upgrade curb ramps, sidewalks and signals on Route 206 “between Bridge Point Road in Montgomery and Doctors Way in Hillsborough,” as part of “a $5.9 million federally funded maintenance project” expected to finish in “late-fall 2025.” This site did not find a record of its completion. On March 19, 2026 the minutes record that “NJDOT advised that resurfacing will begin, date to be determined, from Bridgepoint north to Township Line.”
Two Route 206 signals. On June 4, 2026 the Township Administrator “commented on traffic congestion issues at the Harlingen/206 traffic light and the Scarborough Road/206 light.” She encouraged residents to report to the NJDOT hotline and suggested a letter from the Mayor to the NJDOT Commissioner. “There were no objections to sending the letter.” The record does not say whether it was sent.
County roads. Routes 518, 533, 601, 602, 604, 605, 630 and 632, and the roads in Skillman Park, are county roads (March 19, 2026 minutes). Recent county items in the township record:
- Griggstown Causeway (CR 632). On October 16, 2025 the Committee supported the county’s “Alternative 2A” (Res. #25-10-339). The Administrator later described traffic lights at both ends of the bridge. On June 4, 2026 the Administrator said “the bridge will remain one lane.”
- Belle Mead-Griggstown Road and River Road. On June 4, 2026 the county recommended an all-way stop at this intersection, which the Administrator called “one of the areas in the Township with the highest accident rate.” The outcome was not found.
- Grandview Road. The June 23, 2025 Planning Board minutes say the “County has road improvement plans for the Grandview Road intersection including a northbound left turn lane.”
Township projects
A path along Route 206. The township plans a path on the west side of Route 206 from Orchard Road to Village Drive, about three-quarters of a mile. On March 6, 2025 the Committee chose the Route 206 route over three others as “least restrictive; least costly; and eligible for the most grant opportunities.” On May 15, 2025 it hired Environmental Resolutions, Inc. to design it for up to $277,000 (timeline). On March 5, 2026 the status was “finalizing concept; meeting with NJDOT to discuss concept, permitting, stormwater management.” Funding: a “$3M 2024 infrastructure improvement grant,” which the March 2025 minutes say came from the “NJ Department of Community Affairs.” No construction date has been announced.
Orchard Road. The township is designing about one mile of Orchard Road with a sidewalk and shared bicycle markings. See Orchard Road, explained.
The 2026 road program. On September 3, 2026 the Committee awarded the 2026 Road Improvements contract to Top Line Construction Corp. for $2,198,270.67, including alternates (Res. #26-9-241, 5-0). The work includes curb ramps, sidewalk and storm sewer repairs and repaving on local streets. On October 1 the Committee was told the work “will begin tomorrow.”
State road grants to Montgomery. NJDOT’s Municipal Aid program has funded these township projects in recent years:
| State fiscal year | Project | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Township Line Road Improvements | $370,931 |
| 2025 | Township Line Road Improvements, Phase 2 | $356,411 |
| 2026 | Orchard Road Phase 2 | $537,522 |
The Township Line Road work, shared with Hillsborough, reached “substantial completion” on July 10, 2025. Its final contract was $1,174,874.89 (Res. #25-11-370).
Speed limits and traffic calming
Princeton Avenue. On August 20, 2026, Rocky Hill Borough Council President Richard Novak asked the Committee to reconsider Rocky Hill’s request “to lower the speed limit for a small section of Princeton Avenue” and to complete a sidewalk there. The minutes say Montgomery’s Transportation Advisory Committee had replied that it “does not support the reduction of the speed limit,” noting the Rocky Hill section is “predominantly residential in character,” and suggested targeted police enforcement. It also said “the Township does not intend to pursue other municipal sidewalk projects while the 206 sidewalk project is underway.” The minutes say the Rocky Hill Council “was not satisfied” and that the Administrator would follow up.
Other requests. On June 4, 2026 the Administrator reported a meeting on “speeding concerns on Sunset Road,” and said “the Blawenburg Speed Study is almost completed.”
Transit
One bus line. On June 18, 2026 the Administrator said, according to the captions: “We only have one public transit line. Here it goes, comes up from Princeton and turns around at Orchard Road. That’s the New Jersey Transit 605 bus.” In March 2025 the Committee supported a request from Stonebridge for a bus stop on Montgomery Road (Res. #25-3-118). The outcome was not found.
Paratransit. The same night she said that “of those that responded that they … access and use the paratransit, 92% experienced some issue,” citing “limited service hours, coverage area, long waiting times or difficulty to book or schedule rides.” The written minutes put it as “92% of Montgomery residents.” The captions show the figure is for survey respondents who use county paratransit. Somerset County also runs a free Friday shopping bus for seniors 60 and over and people with disabilities 18 and over (908-231-7115).
Park-and-ride. The Belle Mead Station plan includes a developer-built park-and-ride lot. Its size is not stated in the 2026 records.
Rail. The West Trenton Line runs through Montgomery but carries no passengers. In 2007 NJ Transit estimated that restoring service from West Trenton to the Raritan Valley Line would cost “$219 million” (Progressive Railroading). This site found no current study or funding. The only current official link is the Camp Meeting Avenue bridge design described above.
Safety data
The New Jersey State Police publish preliminary fatal-crash data. They call the figures “unofficial and subject to change.” For Montgomery, as of October 23, 2026, they list eight fatal crashes since 2021, each killing one person:
| Date | Road |
|---|---|
| June 4, 2021 | County Route 601 |
| October 19, 2021 | County Route 518 |
| March 13, 2022 | County Route 605 |
| August 25, 2023 | County Route 630 |
| December 1, 2023 | Route 206 |
| March 16, 2024 | County Route 630 |
| February 19, 2025 | Route 206 |
| March 20, 2026 | East Mountain Road |
Injury and property-damage crash data by location are not published for the public, so this site cannot say how many crashes happen at the Route 206 and Route 518 intersection.
What is not known
- When the left-turn ban will start, and whether NJDOT has been asked to issue the order it would need. Whether the Township Committee will be asked to pass a resolution of support.
- Whether other turns at Route 206 and Route 518 will change. No written notice says so.
- How traffic has changed since the loop roads opened. No counts or travel times have been published.
- The survey’s full results. The presentation is listed as a future agenda item.
- The Route 206 path’s cost and schedule, and the exact grant program behind the $3 million.
- Whether the Mayor’s letter about the Harlingen Road and Scarborough Road signals was sent, and any reply.
- When NJDOT will resurface Route 206, and whether the 2024-2025 curb and signal work finished.
- What the Transportation Advisory Committee decides. Its members, schedule and minutes are not posted on the township’s Agenda Center.
What residents can do
- Report problems to the right agency. Route 206 signals and signs are NJDOT’s; the June 4, 2026 minutes encourage residents to use the NJDOT hotline. County road issues go to Somerset County at roaddiv@co.somerset.nj.us. Township road questions go to the Engineering Department, (908) 213-5901.
- Watch Township Committee agendas for the “Transportation Survey Results” presentation and for any resolution about Route 206 or Route 518 turn rules. Public comment is open at every regular meeting.
- Comment on the master plan draft when it is released in November 2026. Adoption needs a noticed public hearing at the Planning Board.
- Request records from the Township Clerk under the Open Public Records Act, for example: Transportation Advisory Committee minutes, correspondence with NJDOT about Route 206 and Route 518 turns, the transportation survey report, and the Mayor’s June 2026 letter to NJDOT.