Princeton Adopts 'No Turn On Red' Ordinance, To Boost Pedestrian, Cyclist Safety

PRINCETON, NJ – Princeton Council on Monday adopted an ordinance designating several intersections as "No turn on red" zones as part of the municipality's Vision Zero initiative aimed at eliminating crashes that result in serious injury or death.

According to the ordinance, buffered bicycle lanes will be installed on North Harrison Street between Clearview Avenue and Terhune Road under a pilot project approved by Council.

“Prohibiting right turns on red signals will remove the conflict between bicyclists in the bike lanes and motorists attempting to cross over the bike lanes at the Valley Road, Princeton Shopping Center, and Terhune Road intersections with North Harrison Street,” the ordinance reads.

“Prohibiting right turns on red signals will remove the conflict between pedestrians, particularly school children, at the North Harrison Street intersections with Hamilton Avenue and Franklin Avenue.”

According to Councilman David Cohen, there are also a number of locations where the municipality has signs saying no right turn on red, but they were never actually adopted as an ordinance formalizing that.

“So it's a bit of bookkeeping in that regard. This is not meant to cover the entire town and every single intersection that might benefit from a ‘no turn on red rule’. It's specifically targeted at those specific cases,” Cohen said.

Councilman Leighton Newlin called the ordinance a “game-changer.”

“The message is that stopping at intersections right on red is just a furtherance of being more careful about how we move around the town. We're growing. We are getting a little bit more dense, and we have to be just a little bit more careful,” Newlin said.

“This is about Vision Zero. It's about saving lives and protecting our people in all facets of life. So bear with us and slowing down ain't a bad thing. You may have to leave a few minutes earlier, but help us out with this.”

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