'Like a game of Frogger': $6.2M county road project still fraying nerves in Wayne
WAYNE — Construction has restarted at Alps Road and Hamburg Turnpike, churning up another wave of concerns about the project that is meant to relieve gridlock at the intersection.
The $6.2 million project by Passaic County should be finished before the end of May — a little more than two years after it began.
The work involved creating a jughandle east of Alps Road and south of Hamburg Turnpike, installing new traffic lights, and widening both thoroughfares. Left turns are no longer allowed at the crossroads.
Local officials said drivers have been slow to learn the changes.
“People aren’t getting it,” said Councilman Jonathan Ettman, addressing the township administration at a meeting last week.
Ettman said he witnessed a “horrendous” car accident at the intersection when a motorist tried to make what is now an illegal left turn from Hamburg Turnpike onto Alps Road.
“I don’t know how long we can wait before we’re going to have a tragedy,” Ettman said. “I know that it’s tough right now, but there needs to be some really improved signage.”
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Council President Jason DeStefano said the current condition of the intersection is “like a game of Frogger,” referring to an arcade game favorite where the objective is to dodge traffic.
Detective Capt. Daniel Daly said Tuesday that there have been four crashes at the intersection this year.
Crews returned to the site to complete the job this month. It was substantially done when the traffic lights were put into operation in December. At that time, county officials said workers would return in the spring to repave and stripe the intersection.
Concrete medians, often called Jersey barriers, will be cast in place to divide oncoming lanes.
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Temporary changes to the traffic pattern, and some lane closings, may occur during the last construction phase.
Mayor Christopher Vergano said police are helping to control traffic at rush hour, adding that he planned to request backup from the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office.
The intersection, about 1,200 feet north of the entrance to DePaul Catholic High School, is also the location of a new strip mall that is expected to open within days.
The Yard, a 10,482-square-foot retail plaza built by March Associates Construction Inc. of Wayne, will have seven tenants, including European Wax Center, Mathnasium and the first Crumbl Cookies in the county.
Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: devencentis@northjersey.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Alps Road and Hamburg Turnpike: Project in Wayne nearly done
