Washington Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
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Washington Township is a Township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 10,275.
Washington Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1860, from portions of East Windsor Township.[1]
Windsor is an unincorporated area located within Washington Township. Founded in 1818 as Centerville, this historic community has remained mostly unchanged for nearly 200 years.
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 53.1 km² (20.5 mi²). 53.0 km² (20.5 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.10%) is water.
Washington Township borders Hamilton Township, West Windsor Township, East Windsor Township, the Boro of Allentown, Upper Freehold Township and Millstone Township.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 1,347 |
|
|
| 1940 | 1,365 | 1.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,843 | 35.0% | |
| 1960 | 2,156 | 17.0% | |
| 1970 | 3,311 | 53.6% | |
| 1980 | 3,487 | 5.3% | |
| 1990 | 5,815 | 66.8% | |
| 2000 | 10,275 | 76.7% | |
| Est. 2005 | 11,619 | [2] | 13.1% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[3] | |||
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 10,275 people, 4,074 households, and 2,815 families residing in the township. The population density was 193.7/km² (501.8/mi²). There were 4,163 housing units at an average density of 78.5/km² (203.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 91.00% White, 2.89% African American, 0.14% Native American, 4.31% Asian, 0.55% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.72% of the population.
There were 4,074 households out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the township the population was spread out with 26.1% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 37.9% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $71,377, and the median income for a family was $90,878. Males had a median income of $61,589 versus $44,653 for females. The per capita income for the township was $35,529. About 2.5% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
In November of 2004, Washington Township residents voted to change their form of government from a Township Committee to a Mayor-Council form under the Faulkner Act. The new form of government was initiated on July 1, 2005.[4]
In the new Mayor-Council form of government, the Mayor and Council function as independent branches of government. The Mayor is the Chief Executive of the Township and heads its Administration. The Mayor is elected in a non-partisan election and serves for a four-year term. The Mayor may attend Council meetings but is not obliged to do so.[4]
The Council is the legislative branch. The five members of the Township Council are elected on a non-partisan basis for four-year, staggered terms. At the annual organizational meeting held during the first week of July of each year, the Council elects a President and Vice President to serve for one-year terms. The Council President chairs the meetings of the governing body.[4]
The Mayor of Washington Township is Dave Fried. Members of the Township Council are Council President Sonja R. Walter (4-year term ends June 30, 2009), Council Vice President David L. Boyne (2007), Ronda C. Hyams (2007), William Lesniak (2009), Larry Schneider (2007).[5]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Washington Township is in the Fourth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 30th Legislative District.[6]
New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District, covering portions of Burlington County, Mercer County, Monmouth County and Ocean County, is represented by Christopher Smith (R). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 30th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Robert Singer (R, Lakewood Township) and in the Assembly by Ronald S. Dancer (R, Jackson Township) and Joseph R. Malone (R, Bordentown). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Mercer County's County Executive is Brian M. Hughes. The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. Mercer County's Freeholders are Freeholder Chair Keith V. Hamilton, Freeholder Vice Chair Pasquale "Pat" Colavita, Jr., Ann M. Cannon, Anthony P. Carabelli, Tony Mack, Elizabeth Maher Muoio and Lucylle R. S. Walter.
[edit] Education
The Washington Township Public Schools had served students in Kindergarten through eighth grade. A new high school has been established in the district, which has started admitting its first students. Schools in the district are Sharon Elementary School, Windsor Elementary School, Pond Road Middle School and Robbinsville High School.
Students from Washington Township attend Lawrence High School in Lawrence Township as part of a sending / receiving relationship with the Lawrence Township Public Schools. Washington Township will end sending its high school students to Lawrence High in the 2006-07 school year.
Washington Township also is home to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), located on U.S. Route 130 North. This organization works to organize tournaments and athletic competitions between New Jersey high schools, while working to ensure that student athletes are getting an appropriate education.
[edit] Transportation
With limited mass transit available within the Township, most residents either drive to work, or drive to a train station to take a train to their city. Washington Township has four US/State/Interstate routes that pass through the Township: U.S. Route 130, Route 33, I-195 (Central Jersey Expressway), and the New Jersey Turnpike/Interstate 95. The Central Jersey Expressway (195) is a major artery that connects Trenton to "Shore Points," and the New Jersey Turnpike. Exit 7A of the Turnpike is well known for leading to not only Trenton, but to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township. During the summer time, 195 can become very busy; traffic can range from medium to congested (it is rare that 195 gets congested from Exit 16 in Jackson Twp to Exit 6 (NJ Turnpike) in Washington). Exit 7A is the connector between the free Interstate 295, versus the tolled Turnpike. Trucks and many other vehicles are now beginning to shunpike by using 295 north to 195 east, to the Turnpike northbound (and vice versa). Since major development has been built near the turnpike interchange, traffic is slowly becoming worse.
In November 2006, a 33 bypass was proposed to be constructed near the intersection with CR 526 to the intersection of U.S. Route 130 and Gold Drive in the Township of Hamilton.
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is currently working on a major widening project that would extend the "dual-dual" configuration to Exit 6 (Mansfield Township) from its current southern beginning at Exit 8A (Monroe Township). Exit 7A will require additional ramps to be constructed, widening the 195 expressway's overpasses, and an expansion of the 7A toll gate. The 7A toll gate expansion would consist of constructing 3 more booths at the toll gate.
Due to vehicular noise, residents in the Woods of Washington want sound barriers to be installed along the Turnpike. During peak hours, the decibel levels can reach over 90 (an unacceptable amount which can cause health problems). The residents in this development are situated immediately north of the bridges carrying Interstate 195 over the Turnpike. However, sound barriers may not be built until 2012, when the widening between Mansfield Township and Monroe Township is completed.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 165.
- ^ Census data for Washington township, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ a b c Washington Township Government, accessed March 18, 2007
- ^ Washington Township Town Council, accessed March 18, 2007
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 65, accessed August 30, 2006
- ^ Seeking the sound of silence, The Trenton Times, February 4, 2007
[edit] External links
- Washington Township website
- Washington Township Public Schools
- Washington Township Public Schools's 2005-06 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Washington Township Public Schools
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(County seat: Trenton) |
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| Boroughs | Hightstown | Hopewell | Pennington | Princeton |  |
| City | Trenton | |
| Townships | East Windsor | Ewing | Hamilton | Hopewell | Lawrence | Princeton | Washington | West Windsor | |
| CDPs and communities |
Grover's Mill | Lawrenceville | Mercerville-Hamilton Square | Princeton Junction | Princeton North | Robbinsville | Titusville | Twin Rivers | White Horse | Windsor | Yardville-Groveville | |
