Ridge Road and Orient Way Bridges over Route 3 replacement project to begin this weekend
in Bergen County

One lane on Route 3 in both directions to be closed
for duration of project

Beginning at 10 p.m. tonight Friday, March 16, NJDOT’s contractor, Carbo Constructors Corp., is scheduled to close the left lane on Route 3 in both the eastbound and westbound directions between approximately Park Avenue and Route 17 to establish a center median work zone. At least three lanes will be maintained in each direction during construction. The start of this project was originally scheduled for February.

The federally funded $26.7 million project has been designed to be constructed in five stages – the first two stages include work in the Route 3 median improving both bridges piers; drainage improvements; utility relocation; and upgrades at the Polito Avenue and Rutherford Avenue intersection including traffic signal improvements and ADA compliant sidewalk ramps. Stage 3 is the reconstruction of the Ridge Road Bridge, Stage 4 is the reconstruction of the Orient Way Bridge, and Stage 5 will remove the existing bridge abutments from both bridges and provide a continuous full width right shoulder on Route 3 in both directions.

NJDOT is using Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) techniques to reduce the time it will take to replace the bridges by more than two years. The entire project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2020.

While the bridges remain safe for public travel, both bridges are classified as structurally deficient and functionally obsolete. “Structurally deficient” does not mean a bridge is unsafe. It means that either the deck, superstructure, or substructure is in need of repair or rehabilitation.

A “functionally obsolete” bridge is one that was built to standards that no longer meet the current minimum Federal requirements for a new bridge. It does not mean the bridge needs to be repaired. Functionally obsolete bridges include those that have substandard geometric features, such as narrow lanes, narrow shoulders, poor approach alignment, or inadequate under-clearance.

Among the many benefits of the project is the addition of a left turn lane on the Ridge Road Bridge and an additional northbound lane on Ridge Road at the Rutherford Avenue intersection to help ease congestion on northbound Ridge Road. At the request of Rutherford and Lyndhurst officials, a new sidewalk is being built along the north side of Rutherford Avenue from Orient Way past the Renaissance Hotel to Polito Avenue.

To help ease congestion and improve safety on Route 3, the new bridges will be lengthened to allow for the addition of full width right shoulders on Route 3 in both directions, and the Route 3 westbound exit to Ridge Road will be extended to start before Orient Way. The replacement bridges also will provide additional under clearance over Route 3.

This is the last of four projects associated with the Route 3 at Passaic River Crossing and will provide the lane and shoulder widths that are consistent through the corridor. The other projects replaced the Route 3 Bridge over the Passaic River, the Park Avenue Bridge over Route 3, and made improvements to Route 3. As the Ridge Road and Orient Way Bridges over Route 3 project advances, NJDOT will provide additional information including road closures and detours.

NJDOT will be hosting a Public Information Center on Monday, February 12 from 6pm to 8pm at the Rutherford Borough Council Chambers located at 176 Park Avenue in Rutherford where the public will have an opportunity to review exhibits illustrating proposed changes and improvements, ask questions and discuss issues with the NJDOT project team members.

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 construction updates and real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NJDOT_info.