TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—After years of delay and anticipation, long-needed improvements to the Pascack Road–Washington Avenue intersection — one of the township’s busiest crossroads — is set to begin this week and likely continue for six months, into the fall and winter, county officials told Pascack Press.
Local police expect some traffic delays and congestion related to the intersection makeover, which may lead to minor traffic backups, detours, and rerouting for local motorists and those exiting the nearby Garden State Parkway Exit 168, which flows onto Washington Avenue.
County and local officials said they hope the intersection remains mostly open, though construction may cause delays, restrict traffic flow, and require closures during certain times.
“The primary disruption will be the drainage portion of the project which will go across Washington Avenue between Pascack Road and Meisten Street. There should be prior notice by the contractor with regard to that portion and the Police Department will make efforts to disseminate that information via signage at the scene and social media/website,” the township police department says in its webpage.
“Any necessary detours will be created on a day-to-day basis based on the contractor’s needs for that day,” the department said.
The police website notes, “The intersection project primarily involves widening the existing roadway and adding additional traffic lanes. The majority of the work will take place behind the existing curb line thereby necessitating minimal disruptions to the existing roadway and traffic patterns during the construction.”
Township police add, “When the majority of that work is completed, the existing curbs/curb lines will be removed and the new lanes and traffic patterns will be incorporated into the existing roadway with signage, signals and striping.”
Motorists are strongly advised to find alternate routes to avoid the congested thoroughfare.
Police Chief Richard Skinner told Pascack Press July 27 that the department would be posting updated information on social media to assist residents.
Township police recently posted large signs on nearby roads and the department’s Facebook page began warning motorists to plan alternate routes starting on July 25, when work was initially scheduled to begin.
However, work should begin on or near Monday, Aug. 1, starting with tree removal along Pascack Road, and following that, work on roadway culverts and drainage will begin, said county spokesperson Michael Sheinfield.
“Except on rare occasions, traffic will not be stopped there during construction. The idea is to always have the intersection open during all required work. The goal is to keep the intersection open to minimize the impacts,” said Sheinfield.
He said all traffic management during the six-month construction project lies with the Township police. Sheinfield stressed the work would be coordinated to minimize traffic impacts.
“This project encompasses the widening and re-signalization of the intersection to provide left turn lanes and leading phases on all vehicle approaches, drainage upgrades, new sidewalk, (ADA) accessible curb ramps, pedestrian phases with audible & countdown pedestrian signal indications, milling, paving, new signage and striping,” reads a description on the county Planning and Engineering Division website.
A township website alert notes, “Motorists are advised to avoid the intersection if possible and expect delays during (7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday).”
Adds the police Facebook page: “Please follow all detours and allow extra time for your commute.”
Nearly three years after the township signed a shared-services agreement with Bergen County to upgrade the narrow, heavily traveled intersection, county Commissioners awarded a nearly $2 million contract in mid-May to begin the project.
Although the contractor has a six-month timetable to complete the project, county officials previously told Pascack Press that they expect delays, likely due to supply-chain holdups, especially in receiving the steel needed to custom fabricate the intersection’s traffic signals.
In October 2021, the county said it could move on bidding the intersection work after the township acquired 16 property easements required to expand the intersection’s footprint.
Upgrades to the intersection have been discussed locally for a couple decades or more, especially with the intersection receiving steady traffic flow from Garden State Parkway Exit 168. (See Pascack–Washington Overhaul Revs Up, June 20, 2022, Pascack Press online.)
In recent months, a traffic monitoring device appeared near Exit 168’s nexus with Washington Avenue, likely related to the state Turnpike Authority’s plans to place a signal there.
We have reached out to NJTA for details on that study.
Mayor Peter Calamari identified breaking ground on an updated Pascack Road and Washington Avenue intersection, and beginning to remediate contaminated soil under and around the DPW building—then replacing the building—as priorities for 2019.
Speaking at that year’s council reorganization meeting, Calamari said he and the council had taken “decisive action on many unresolved issues that were inherited from previous administrations.”
He added, “We’ve demonstrated that when we all work together to get things done, the town prospers.”