The Old Route

I actually wrote this essay in July, and just revised and posted it today.


I drove the old route yesterday, the one I used to take to work until I lost my job in December of 2008.  It’s the second time since January of 2009 that I can remember going that way.  My old place of employment is in Princeton, New Jersey, and I live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  That meant taking I-95 over the Scudder Falls Bridge and past the Trenton Airport.  Then, about 5-10 miles through Mercer County, past Rider University, and on to Route 1 in Lawrenceville.  This time, I didn’t need to go as far, since I had an interview scheduled in the Quaker Bridge Mall, which is right off of I-95. 

  I was not very familiar with the mall, but I had stopped in it a few times while I worked in the Princeton, a few miles to the north.  There is a place called the Quaker Bridge, which I assume the mall is named after.  The bridge itself is not really close to the mall, but in the Pine Barrens, probably 20-30 miles away.  I mostly remember driving past the mall on the way to and from my job.  The memory I have is fairly good because, not only did I drive past the mall every day, but I usually drove slowly, because of the heavy volume of traffic on Route 1 during rush hour.  Some things have changed.  A few stores and visual reminders are gone or replaced, although it looks generally the same.  This time I was passing through during the early afternoon, so there was no real problem with traffic jams. 

  Along the way to and from Lawrenceville, I noticed something new.  The new hospital building for Capital Health was now fully constructed, although I don’t think it has opened yet.  I think I remember seeing the area being cleared, and maybe the very beginning of the construction.  But in the two and a half years since I have been commuting to Princeton, I just forgot about all that.  Most everything else is the way I remembered it.  I think the interview went well, but I don’t know whether it will result in a job offer.  I feel fairly positive about how it went.  It involves doing something I like doing as a hobby, so I think I’ll like it.  If I do get the job, I have some mixed feelings about the commute.  I like the ride and most of the scenery along I-95, but I know there are changes coming.  The Scudder Falls Bridge will be replaced, I don’t know when, but I do remember reading that it is scheduled.  I didn’t see any signs of a new bridge under construction.  I’m pretty sure the new bridge will have a toll once it is opened, although I’m sure it will come with improvements, mainly more lanes.   The way it is now, the highway bottlenecks at the bridge and causes several miles of backlogs.  Also, I usually prefer to take back roads, and tend to avoid highways if I have to go a short distance, but I always took I-95 when I worked in Princeton.  There are back ways, but they just go too far out of the way and take too long.  So I may be getting used to seeing I-95 on a daily basis again.  If I like the job, and the commute goes smoothly in general, then it will be worth it to me.