Palisades Parkway will be closed overnight next week

Motorists will be detoured onto
Route 9W or may chose alternate routes

(Trenton) – New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced the Palisades Interstate Parkway (PIP) will have full closures overnight next week as the paving project nears completion.

The full closure of the roadway is required to apply the surface course of asphalt using a process known as echelon paving. This technique eliminates the seams between lanes, reducing the possibility of roadway deterioration and potholes, which should provide a longer-lasting surface.  A small portion of the project on either end of the Parkway will be paved using traditional methods using single lane closures overnight. The project is expected to be completed in October.

Northbound Closures
NJDOT’s contractor, Tilcon New York Inc., is scheduled to close both lanes of the Palisades Parkway northbound starting at Exit 1 each night Monday, September 22 through Wednesday, September 24 from 8:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. the following morning. Each night, a larger portion of the road is expected to be closed requiring a longer detour.

On Monday and Tuesday, northbound motorists will be directed to exit the PIP at Exit 1, Palisades Avenue, to Route 9W north to Parkway Exit 2, where they will be able to get back on the PIP. On Wednesday, traffic will be directed to exit the Parkway at Exit 1 to 9W north and return to the PIP at Parkway Exit 4.

Southbound Closures
Both southbound lanes are scheduled to be closed overnight Thursday, September 25, Friday, September 26, and Monday, September 29. Work on Thursday and Monday will take place between 8:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. the next morning. Work on Friday night will begin at 5 p.m. and complete by 5 a.m. Saturday.

On Thursday, southbound motorists will be directed to exit the Parkway at Exit 3 to Route 9W south from which they will be able to get back on the PIP at Palisades Avenue/Exit 1. On Friday and Monday nights, traffic will be directed to exit the Parkway at Exit 2 to Route 9W south and return to the PIP at Palisades Avenue/Exit 1.

Alternate Routes
Motorists traveling between upstate New York and the Bronx and/or Manhattan wishing to avoid the construction may choose from a variety of alternate routes including:

South From the Palisades Parkway:

• New York Thruway (I-87/I-287) west to the Garden State Parkway south to Route 17 south to Route 4 east to the George Washington Bridge. This route requires tolls.

• New York Thruway (I-87 south) across the Tappan Zee Bridge and continue on the Thruway south. This route requires tolls.

South From Newburgh using the New York Thruway:

• Motorists may continue on the New York Thruway (I-87) to Exit 15 for New Jersey Route 17 south to Route 4 east to the George Washington Bridge.

These alternate routes also work in reverse for northbound motorists.

The work is part of the $11.2 million, state-funded project that will resurface the parkway and the three scenic overlooks, and repair 13 bridge decks as needed. Although the Palisades Parkway is not a NJDOT road—it is owned and maintained by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission—NJDOT has stepped up to repair the road which is in unacceptable condition.

Variable message signs will notify motorists of the traffic pattern changes.  The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors.  Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information.