Commuting News: Christie Announces $76 Million for Bergen Projects

The Christie administration announced late last month that 10 transportation projects in Bergen County are scheduled to advance with $76.4 million from the $3.5 billion Transportation Capital Program.

The bulk of the money, $40.8 million, goes toward a project to replace the Route 3 bridge over the Passaic River. The the New Jersey Department of Transportation has already started work to rehabilitate the Route 3 bridge over the Hackensack River.

The Passaic River Bridge has been deemed structurally deficient and obsolete. In addition, the project description says the accident rate in the area is four times the state average, calling it "the most congested freeway section in New Jersey."

Route 3 links Bergen County to the west to the Lincoln Tunnel. The project will add shoulders and acceleration and deceleration lanes to the current configuration, which has three lanes in each direction.

The Transportation Capital Program also includes more than $3 million for studies into widening and reducing congestion on Route 17. $1.97 million is budgeted toward investigating the possibility of widening the highway from Williams Avenue to I-80 in Hackensack and Hasbrouck Heights to provide six lanes of traffic.

Another $1.29 will pay for a study into ways to reduce congestion on Route 17 in Paramus and Rochelle Park.

Here is the full list of Bergen County projects. No timetable has been set:

• $40.8 million to advance the project to replace the Route 3 bridge over the Passaic River and to make safety and operational improvements near the span in Rutherford, Lyndhurst and Clifton.
• $24.1 million to advance a NJ TRANSIT Ridgewood Station ADA Improvement project in Ridgewood.       
• $3.84 million to advance intersection and bridge improvements at Market Street, Essex Street and Rochelle Avenue in Maywood and Lodi.
• $1.97 million to advance a study into the possibility of widening Route 17 from Williams Avenue to I-80 in Hasbrouck Heights and Hackensack.
• $1.65 million to advance a Route 120 resurfacing project in Carlstadt and East Rutherford.
• $1.44 million to advance a project to rebuild the Hackensack River walkway in Hackensack.
• $1.29 million to advance a congestion reduction study along Route 17 in Rochelle Park and Paramus.
• $500,000 to advance repairs to a pedestrian overpass at Forest Avenue in Teaneck.
• $500,000 to advance a project to replace the Route 4 bridge over Palisade Avenue, Windsor Road and CSX railroad tracks in Teaneck.
• $300,000 to advance a study of a proposed I-80 Park & Ride facility at River Road and Slater Drive in Elmwood Park.

Rail Alerts

Inbound trains will arrive on the center track at the Ridgewood NJ Transit station Monday to Friday from 10:20 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bus Alerts

The following local routes have new schedules. Check the NJ Transit website for details.

• 159, Fort Lee-New York
• 163, Ridgewood-New York
• 165, Westwood-New York
• 191, Willowbrook-Montclair-New York
• 195, Willowbrook-Cedar Grove-New York
• 704, Paterson-Willowbrook Mall
• 705, Passaic-Willowbrook Mall
• 709, Bloomfield-Passaic-Paramus
• 712, Hackensack-Paterson-Willowbrook
• 722, Paterson-Paramus Park
• 746, Ridgewood-Paterson
• 748, Paterson-Wayne
• 752, Oakland-Ridgewood-Hackensack
• 753, New Milford-Paramus
• 756, Englewood Cliffs-Fort Lee-Paramus
• 758, Passaic-Paramus Park
• 762, Hackensack-New Milford-Paramus
• 772, New Milford-Hackensack-Meadowlands
• 871, Morristown-Boonton-Wayne
• 874, Morristown-Boonton-Wayne

Traffic Alerts

The lower level in each direction of the George Washington Bridge will be closed to traffic Monday to Thursday from 11 p.m. each night to 5 a.m. the following morning for rehabilitation work on the upper level deck.

The westbound north tube of the Lincoln Tunnel will be closed to traffic Monday from 11 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following morning for maintenance. Customers can access the Lincoln Tunnel via the center tube, with entrances at 36th Street and 9th Avenue, or 30th, 31st or 33rd streets between 9th and 10th avenues. Only one lane in each direction will be available in each direction Tuesday to Thursday from 11 p.m. each night to 5 a.m. the following morning for maintenance.

One lane in each direction of the Holland Tunnel will be closed to traffic Monday to Thursday from 11 p.m. each night to 5:30 a.m. the following morning for maintenance.