NJDOT to replace South Summit Avenue bridge deck
in Hackensack
Ramp closures and traffic shifts scheduled to accommodate construction

(Trenton) - The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) today announced a project to replace the South Summit Avenue bridge deck above all lanes of Interstate 80 and over the southbound lanes of Route 17 in Hackensack, Bergen County.

The $4.8 million federally funded project will replace the existing, structurally deficient bridge deck, resurface the bridge approaches, install a new signal on the ramp from Route 17 northbound to South Summit Avenue and install new sidewalks, lighting and guiderail.

On Friday, March 4, NJDOT’s contractor, J.F.Creamer & Son Joint Venture with Joseph M. Sanzari, Inc., will begin demolition and reconstruction on the western side of the bridge, shifting South Summit Avenue travel lanes to the east, maintaining one lane in each direction. To create the new construction zone, NJDOT will temporarily close single lanes on Route 17 northbound and South Summit Avenue during overnight hours this weekend.

Also over the weekend, NJDOT will close the Route 17 northbound ramp to South Summit Avenue and the ramp movements from South Summit Avenue northbound to Route 17 northbound and South Summit Avenue southbound to Route 17 southbound to allow for bridge reconstruction and ramp realignment. During the long-term ramp closures:

• Route 17 northbound motorists destined for South Summit Avenue will continue to Essex Street southbound to South Summit Avenue

• South Summit Avenue northbound motorists destined for Route 17 northbound will continue to Essex Street northbound to Route 17 northbound

• South Summit Avenue southbound motorists destined for Route 17 southbound will continue to W. Pleasant Avenue to Route 17 southbound

The bridge deck replacement work will be accomplished in stages so that South Summit Avenue will remain open to traffic during the majority of construction. Subsequent construction stage changes will require further traffic pattern changes in the area. All work is weather dependent.

NJDOT will maintain all available travel lanes on I-80 and Route 17 mainline during daytime and peak period hours. The project is expected to be complete in November 2011.

Variable message signs will notify motorists of upcoming traffic pattern changes. NJDOT provides emergency roadway information, construction schedule updates and real time traffic information and images at www.511nj.org