By Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on January 04, 2016 at 8:11 AM, updated January 04, 2016 at 10:59 AM
Replacing bridge decks on several ramps and overpasses between I-78 and Route 1&9 in Newark: The $17.9 million project is expected to start in early 2016 and be completed in early 2017
Repaving 6.6 miles of I- 80 East express and local lanes between
Paterson, Elmwood Park and Hackensack: The project is scheduled to start this summer and be completed before the winter of 2016,
While there is uncertainty about how the state will pay for road and bridge projects after 2016, drivers will see plenty of flashing arrows and orange cones that come with the promise of smooth pavement, wider lanes and sturdier bridges.
Drivers might consider 2016 the year of the bridge, because the state has many massive multi-year bridge projects. Work continues on the $1 billionrehabilitation of the Pulaski Skyway, building a new Route 7 Wittpenn bridge, finishing the Route 18 overpass over Route 1, and replacement of the Routes 37 and 72 bridges to Jersey Shore barrier islands.
Drivers also will see large projects continuing on the states major toll roads, including the last phase of Garden State Parkway widening in Atlantic County, the continued work on new interchanges at Exit 14A and 9 on the New Jersey Turnpike and on a new deck on the turnpike’s Hudson County extension.
Work also is starting on new projects in 2016, including:
The first phase of a larger project to rebuild the interchange between Routes 3, 46, Valley, Notch and Rifle Camp Roads in Clifton. This includes construction of a new service road on Great Notch Road, a new bridge over Route 46 at Clove Road and reconstruction of the existing Notch Road Bridge, said Dan Triana, a state department of transportation spokesman.
Taxpayers can be guaranteed of one thing: these projects will cost $2.1mn per mile in NJ, 3X the cost of the next highest state. We can thank union graft, excessive restrictions on only allowing overpaid union labor to do the work, and outright theft by the contractors and officials involved through change orders, kick-backs and other illegal activity. Here’s a good video about this https://reason.com/blog/2015/12/07/new-jerseys-roads-dont-just-suck-theyre