NJ Transit's plans for upcoming Pulaski Skyway Rebuliding Project

[Shortline Bus]

The New Jersey Department of Transportation today announced construction details associated with the $1 billion project to rehabilitate the Pulaski Skyway, an 80-year-old elevated highway that carries 67,000 motor vehicles per day between Newark and Jersey City and serves as an express link for cars and buses to and from the Holland Tunnel. 

 

NJDOT Commissioner James Simpson and members of the project team met with local officials and media in Newark to discuss the project, including significant traffic impacts starting in 2014 associated with replacing the deck of the 3.5-mile long structure that carries Route 1&9 traffic.    

 

After considering a range of options, NJDOT is advancing a plan that will require a complete diversion of northbound motorists from the skyway for approximately two years while the existing deck is replaced.   Two southbound travel lanes will be maintained during this phase of the rehabilitation project.   

 

"We are announcing these construction plans a full year before the serious impacts will be felt because we welcome and value input from commuters, emergency service providers, local officials, residents and business owners," said Commissioner Simpson.  "The comments and suggestions we receive will help us focus on travel routes, travel modes and other options that will best serve the public and help mitigate the anticipated significant traffic impacts associated with this essential and necessary work." 

 

The Department announced that it is conducting a survey to obtain input from commuters and other skyway users about alternative routes and travel modes they will consider during the deck replacement period.  Motorists are being urged to complete the online survey over the next three weeks.  NJDOT has planned a variety of meetings to remain engaged with affected communities and stakeholders in the coming months. 

 

Diverting northbound vehicles from the skyway during the deck replacement phase of the rehabilitation project cuts four years of construction time and more than $210 million in costs as compared to an alternative that would restrict deck replacement work to nights and weekends only, when many of the other regional construction projects will be using night and weekend closures. 

 

The skyway provides four travel lanes for motor vehicles, two in each direction separated by a center barrier. 

 

The closure will affect about 34,000 northbound vehicles daily, including about 10,500 vehicles during the 6-9 a.m. peak period.  Sixty-two percent of the northbound skyway traffic is destined for the New Jersey waterfront or New York City. The turnpike's Newark Bay-Hudson County Extension (I-78), Route 1&9 T, the Turnpike Eastern Spur and Route 7 are expected to absorb most of the detoured traffic volume.

 

 

For rest of press statement: http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=PressReleaseTo&PRESS_RELEASE_ID=2833

[theaveragejoe]

Should have built a new bridge ( 4 lanes) beside the current bridge open the new bridge then redo the old bridge so that way you have 4 lanes each way and no traffic jams

[SirJokaPlaya]

Should have built a new bridge ( 4 lanes) beside the current bridge open the new bridge then redo the old bridge so that way you have 4 lanes each way and no traffic jams

 

Oh, that would be too easy. You know there always has to be some bullshit going on, some drama.