Robbinsville Township, New Jersey

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Robbinsville Township, New Jersey
settlement_type = Township
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
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image_

mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Robbinsville Township highlighted in Mercer County. Inset



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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New Jersey
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Mercer
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
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established_title =
established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 53.1
area_land_km2 = 53.0
area_water_km2 = 0.1
area_total_sq_mi = 20.5
area_land_sq_mi = 20.5
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 10275
population_density_km2 = 193.8
population_density_sq_mi = 501.8

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 34
elevation_ft = 112
latd = 40 |latm = 13 |lats = 16 |latNS = N
longd = 74 |longm = 36 |longs = 8 |longEW = W

postal_code_type =
postal_code =
area_code =
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 34-77210GR|2 [ [http://mcdc2.missouri.edu/webrepts/commoncodes/ccc_nj.html A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey] , Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.]
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0882122GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Robbinsville Township is a township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 10,275.

Prior to November 6, 2007, the township was known as Washington Township. On that date, voters approved 1816 to 693 [ [http://www.nj.com/news/times/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1194413423231700.xml&coll=5 "A change of name but town's the same"] , "The Trenton Times", November 7, 2007.] a measure that will change the township's name from Washington Township, which is the name of five other municipalities in New Jersey, to Robbinsville, named after a neighborhood in the township. The changeover took place January 1, 2008, as signs and other items with Washington on them are changed. [ [http://www.nbc10.com/politics/14532515/detail.html 1 Of N.J.'s 6 Washington Townships Changes Name] , NBC 10, November 7, 2007. While this and other sources state that the change was immediate, the Township Clerk stated in a phone call that the change would take place on January 1, 2008.]

Robbinsville Township was incorporated as Washington Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1859, from portions of East Windsor Township. [robbinsvilleweb.com]

Windsor is an unincorporated area located within Robbinsville Township. Founded in 1818 as Centerville, this historic community has remained mostly unchanged for nearly 200 years.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 20.5 square miles (53.1 km²), of which, 20.5 square miles (53.0 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.10%) is water.

Robbinsville Township borders Hamilton Township, West Windsor Township, East Windsor Township, the Boro of Allentown, Upper Freehold Township and Millstone Township.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1930= 1347
1940= 1365
1950= 1843
1960= 2156
1970= 3311
1980= 3487
1990= 5815
2000= 10275
estimate= 11906
estyear=2006
estref= [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=06000US3402177210&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C16000US3474000&_street=&_county=washington&_cityTown=washington&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=population_0&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= Census data for Washington township] , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 18, 2007.]
footnote=Population 1930 - 1990. [ [http://www.wnjpin.net/OneStopCareerCenter/LaborMarketInformation/lmi01/poptrd6.htm New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990] , Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.] As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 10,275 people, 4,074 households, and 2,815 families residing in the township. The population density was 501.8 people per square mile (193.7/km²). There were 4,163 housing units at an average density of 203.3/sq mi (78.5/km²). 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.

Government

Local government

In November 2004, 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 took effect as of July 1, 2005. [http://www.washington-twp.org/Government.aspx Washington Township Government] , Washington Township. Accessed March 18, 2007.]

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.

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.

The Mayor of Robbinsville Township is Dave Fried. Members of the Township Council are Council President David L. Boyne (4-year term ends June 30, 2011), Council Vice President Sonja R. Walter (2009), Christine Ciacco (2011), William Lesniak (2009), Timothy F. McGough (2011). [ [http://www.robbinsville-twp.org/council.html Robbinsville Township Council] , Robbinsville Township. Accessed January 14, 2008.]

Federal, state and county representation

Robbinsville Township is in the Fourth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 30th Legislative District. [ [http://www.lwvnj.org/pubs/CG06.pdf 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government] , New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 65. Accessed August 30, 2006.]

Education

The Robbinsville Public School District 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 [http://www.wtpsmercer.k12.nj.us/sharon/site/default.asp Sharon Elementary School] , [http://www.wtpsmercer.k12.nj.us/windsor/site/default.asp Windsor Elementary School] , [http://www.wtpsmercer.k12.nj.us/pondroad/site/default.asp Pond Road Middle School] and Robbinsville High School.

Prior to the 2006-07 school year, high school students from here were sent to Lawrence High School in Lawrence Township as part of a now-ended sending/receiving relationship with the Lawrence Township Public Schools. Robbinsville High School serves all of Washington Township's high school students on site and will graduate its first class of 150 students in June of 2008. [ [http://education.state.nj.us/rc/rc06/narrative/21/5510/21-5510-030.html ROBBINSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL - Report Card Narrative] , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed October 23, 2007. "Robbinsville High School is the first high school in Washington Township, Mercer County. Prior to 2004-2005 all high school students in Washington Township attended Lawrence High School. The students completing Pond Road Middle School in 2004-2005 became the first freshman class of Robbinsville High School. Each subsequent year an additional grade level is being added to the high school. The first senior class will graduate in 2008."]

Robbinsville 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.

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. Robbinsville 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 (for the Turnpike) is located in the township, with a 10-lane toll gate. 7A 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 Robbinsville). 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. [ [http://www.nj.com/news/times/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1170565597137870.xml&coll=5 Seeking the sound of silence] , "The Trenton Times", February 4, 2007.] Robbinsville Township is also home to Trenton-Robbinsville Airport (identifier N87), an uncontrolled general aviation airport, with a convert|4275|ft|m|sing=on long runway. The airport averages 30,000 aircraft operations per year [ [http://www.airnav.com/airport/N87] ,"Airnav website"]

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Robbinsville Township include:
*Elijah C. Hutchinson (1855-1932), represented ushr|New Jersey|4 from 1915–1923. [ [http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H001012 Elijah Cubberley Hutchinson] , "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress". Accessed September 7, 2007.]

Trivia

Melodic hardcore/post-hardcore pop punk band The Ruining have a song entitled "Sharon.Gordon.Spencer.Barto." which are all connecting roads in Robbinsville. The band's official MySpace lists them from Trenton, NJ and Philadelphia, PA. The lyrics to the song do not specifically mention these streets or anything in Robbinsville.

References

External links

* [http://www.robbinsville-twp.org/ Robbinsville Township website]
* [http://www.wtpsmercer.k12.nj.us/wtpsd/site/default.asp Washington Township Public Schools]
*NJReportCard|21|5510|0|Washington Township Public Schools
* [http://www.iaff3786.com Robbinsville Professional Fire Fighters Association IAFF Local 3786]
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3417100 Data for the Washington Township Public Schools] , National Center for Education Statistics