NJDOT announces upcoming closure of Essex Street
in Lodi and Maywood

NJDOT will complete construction project early

(Trenton) - The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) today announced the full closure of Essex Street between Route 17 and Maybrook Drive in Lodi and Maywood, Bergen County on Wednesday, January 2.

“NJDOT will close Essex Street in order to complete the Route 17 Essex Street project by November 2008,” said NJDOT Commissioner Kris Kolluri. “The acceleration of the work will significantly benefit to area residents, motorists and business owners by opening the new Essex Street Bridge eighteen months earlier than scheduled.”

In order to reconstruct the Essex Street Bridge over Route 17, Essex Street will be closed from Maywood Avenue to one-quarter mile west of the bridge. This closure was previously scheduled for January 2009. The new project schedule requires the closure of Essex Street from January 2, 2008 until September 2008.

This work is part of a $67 million project to replace the structurally obsolete Essex Street Bridge, improve drainage and ramp operations and widen Route 17 and Essex Street at the intersection. Construction began in August and is scheduled for completion in November 2008. NJDOT accelerated the construction schedule in order to complete the project in November 2008, rather than its originally scheduled completion date of July 2010.

The following detour routes will be in effect during the closure:

• Route 17 southbound to Essex Street eastbound: Continue on southbound Route 17 past the Essex Street interchange to eastbound Route I-80. From eastbound Route I-80, take exit ramp for Green Street (Exit #65). At the end of the ramp, turn right onto North Street. From North Street, turn right onto Green Street, then turn right onto Wesley Street. From Wesley Street, turn right onto the entrance ramp to westbound Route I-80. From westbound Route I-80, take the exit ramp onto northbound Route 17 (Exit #64A). From northbound Route 17, take the exit ramp back to Essex Street.

• Route 17 northbound to Essex Street westbound: From northbound Route 17, continue past the Essex Street interchange and take the exit ramp for Passaic Street. Make a left onto westbound Passaic Street. Go under Route 17 and then turn left onto the southbound Route 17 entrance ramp. From southbound Route 17, exit right onto the off-ramp for Essex Street. Temporary traffic signals will be in place at the Route 17 and Passaic Street ramps.

• Essex Street westbound to Route 17 northbound: Traffic will make a right onto Maywood Avenue. Follow Maywood Avenue to the Route 4 interchange. Take westbound Route 4. From westbound Route 4, take the entrance ramp onto northbound Route 17.

• Essex Street westbound to Route 17 southbound: From westbound Essex Street, make a right onto Maywood Avenue. From Maywood Avenue, make a left onto Passaic Street. From Passaic Street, take the exit for southbound Route 17. Temporary traffic signals will be in place at the Route 17 and Passaic Street ramps.

• Essex Street eastbound: From eastbound Essex Street, turn right onto Riverview Avenue, then left onto the entrance ramp to eastbound Route I-80. From eastbound Route I-80, take the exit ramp for Green Street (Exit #65). At the end of the ramp, turn right onto North Street. From North Street, turn right onto Green Street then turn right onto Wesley Street. From Wesley Street, take westbound Route I-80. From westbound Route I-80, take the exit ramp onto northbound Route 17 (Exit #64A). From northbound Route 17, take the exit ramp for Essex Street.

• Essex Street westbound: From westbound Essex Street, make a right onto Maywood Avenue. From Maywood Avenue, make a left onto Central Avenue. Continue on Central Avenue, go under Route 17, and then make a left onto Rochelle Avenue. From Rochelle Avenue, turn onto Essex Street.

Route 17 traffic will travel on temporary diversionary roads during the demolition of the existing bridge and during portions of the new bridge construction.

Variable message signs have been placed on Route 17, Route 80, Route 4 and Route 208 to advise motorists of construction on Route 17 and Essex Street. Motorists can also access real time travel and construction information online at https://nj-dot.nj.gov/transportation/commuter/.