Commuting News: Towns Receive $78 Million for Street Improvements

Thanks to more than $78 million in grants from the state Department of Transportation, commuters can look forward to smoother rides on local roads.

More than 300 New Jersey towns, including 46 in Bergen County, are receiving grants for street improvements, rehabilitation and safety projects.

“This announcement is great news for hundreds of municipalities as they work to stretch their resources, control spending and reduce the property tax burden on residents,” said William G. Dressel Jr., executive director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities.

The Department of Transportation will provide 75% of the grant when a municipality awards a contract, and the remaining 25% when the project is completed. The projects that received grants include improvements to:

• Linwood Avenue, Fort Lee, $150,000
• Airmount Road, Mahwah, $150,000
• Martin and Lake avenues, Oradell, $150,000
• Grove Street, Ridgewood, $150,000
• Howland Avenue, River Edge, $150,000
• West Englewood Avenue, Teaneck, $140,000
• Roosevelt Avenue, Westwood, $150,000
• Main Street, Wyckoff, $150,000

Alerts and Advisories:

• Prince is playing at Madison Square Garden Monday night, so expect delays as fans of the artist formerly known by a symbol pour into New York to hear him play "Kiss" on a purple guitar.
• The eastbound lower level of the George Washington Bridge will be completely closed to traffic Monday to Thursday from 10 p.m. each night to 5 a.m. the following morning due to drainage improvement work. The same work will close the westbound lower level Wednesday and Thursday from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following morning.
• All lanes of the westbound Lincoln Tunnel helix will be closed on Wednesday from 11:59 p.m. until 2 a.m. Thursday. Motorists must take detours to New Jersey roadways. One tube of the Lincoln Tunnel will be closed Tuesday to Thursday from 10 p.m. each night to 5 a.m. the following morning for routine maintenance. Two additional lanes in each direction will be closed at 12:30 a.m., traffic permitting, leaving one lane in each direction.
• One lane of the eastbound Holland Tunnel will be closed Tuesday to Thursday from 11 p.m. each night to 5 a.m. the following morning for routine maintenance. The same work will close one westbound lane Tuesday to Thursday from 11 p.m. each night to 5 a.m. the following morning.