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NJ TRANSIT Celebrates Labor Day With ‘Early Getaway’ Service

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ,  NJ TRANSIT is kicking off the Labor Day weekend with “early getaway” rail and bus service on Friday, August 31 for the benefit of customers leaving work early for the last long weekend of the summer. To help speed the getaway, customers are encouraged to enjoy the convenience of purchasing tickets through the MyTix feature of the NJ TRANSIT mobile app [download].

Friday, August 31:

Continue reading NJ TRANSIT Celebrates Labor Day With ‘Early Getaway’ Service

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Governor Murphy Signs “Tommy’s Law” ,Requires the state to promptly provide NJ Transit accident victims and their families with information regarding the incident

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file photo by Boyd Loving

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ,  Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi’s legislation assisting NJ Transit accident victims was signed into law today by the governor. Tommy’s Law (A3904) requires the state to promptly provide accident victims and their families with information regarding the incident. Senator Cardinale sponsored the bill in the Senate.

Continue reading Governor Murphy Signs “Tommy’s Law” ,Requires the state to promptly provide NJ Transit accident victims and their families with information regarding the incident

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Major Construction Begins on Lincoln Tunnel Approach

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photo courtesy of Heather Darling-Morris County Freeholder

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Union City NJ, New Jersey Department of Transportation’s rehabilitation of the Route 495 Bridge over Route 1&9 and Paterson Plank Road in North Bergen will begin on or about Friday, August 17 and continue for approximately two-and-a-half years. Better leave a lot of extra time.

Continue reading Major Construction Begins on Lincoln Tunnel Approach

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NJ Transit Hearings Long on Dialogue Short on Action

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Parsippany-Troy Hills NJ, Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce (R-26) said today’s hearing of the state senate and assembly transportation committees with N.J. Transit executives failed to break new ground on how the organization will improve service.

Continue reading NJ Transit Hearings Long on Dialogue Short on Action

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Joint Senate & Assembly Transportation Committee Hearing on the State of NJ Transit Service

Ridgewood Train Station

photo by ArtChick

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ,  The Senate and Assembly Transportation Committees will hold a joint hearing tomorrow, August 16, to discuss the state of NJ Transit service.

The joint Senate and Assembly Transportation Committee meeting will be held in Committee Room 4 at 10:30 A.M. in the State House Annex.

Continue reading Joint Senate & Assembly Transportation Committee Hearing on the State of NJ Transit Service

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Route 495 lane closures to begin Friday Expect severe congestion and delays for next two-and-a-half years

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Union City NJ, New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti today strongly urged motorists who take Route 495 to the Lincoln Tunnel to adjust their travel plans to avoid severe traffic congestion expected for the next two-and-a-half years, as necessary lane closures begin to rehabilitate the Route 495 Bridge over Route 1&9 and Paterson Plank Road in North Bergen.

Continue reading Route 495 lane closures to begin Friday Expect severe congestion and delays for next two-and-a-half years

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Rock Road in Glen Rock will be closed between Maple Avenue, and Ackerman avenue

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Glen Rock NJ, Rock Road will be closed between Maple Avenue, and Ackerman avenue. Detours are in place. Bus stops from Rock Road can be picked up at the intersection of Rock Road and Ackerman.

Due to construction if you usually take a NJ Transit bus from Rock and Central or Rock and Highland, please proceed to Rock and Ackerman. All bus pick-ups and stops will occur at this location.

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ROUTE 495 LANE CLOSURES BEGIN

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, To accommodate the lane closures necessary as part of the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s (NJDOT) rehabilitation of the Route 495 Bridge over Routes 1&9 and Paterson Plank Road in North Bergen, several NJ TRANSIT local bus routes will require detours.

The Exclusive Bus Lane (XBL) will be maintained weekday mornings (6 a.m. – 10 a.m.) throughout the construction.

Continue reading ROUTE 495 LANE CLOSURES BEGIN

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NJ Transit adoptes a $2.32 billion operating budget and a $1.46 billion capital program for FY 2019

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August 11,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ,  The NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors today adopted a Fiscal Year 2019 (FY 2019) operating budget and capital program that supports continued investments in personnel, infrastructure and equipment to maintain the system in a state-of-good repair, and enhance the overall customer experience.

“These budgets are the result of the firm commitment from Governor Murphy to investing in and improving public transportation and infrastructure,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors Chairperson Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti.

The Board adopted a $2.32 billion operating budget and a $1.46 billion capital program for FY 2019. Continue reading NJ Transit adoptes a $2.32 billion operating budget and a $1.46 billion capital program for FY 2019

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Assemblyman Rooney Bills Move to Stem Excessive E-ZPass fees

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August 11,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Wyckoff NJ, Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney moves to stem excessive fees on E-ZPass users.

Rooney commented on Facebook , “Recently, the news has highlighted the excessive and outrageous administrative fees the Turnpike Authority is charging drivers for missing an E-ZPass toll. If the system malfunctions, then drivers shouldn’t be penalized. One of the primary reasons E-ZPass was created was to offer discounted rates. Charging these fees completely contradicts this purpose.

Last year I introduced three pieces of legislation – A1002, AR34, and AR35 – to address a different “discount deception” that New Jersey E-ZPass users suffer. If you use your toll transponder out of state, you’ll often be charged the cash rate instead of the discounted E-ZPass rate. My legislation moves to fix that. Drivers need to be treated fairly no matter what the circumstances. New Jersey is already the most expensive state in the country to live in; we cannot become the most expensive state to drive in too.”

In an email Rooney went on, “If you use your NJ-issued toll transponder out of state, you’ll may be charged the cash rate instead of the discounted E-ZPass rate. Especially in New York. For example, NJ drivers using the Queens-Midtown Tunnel are charged $8.50 instead of the discounted rate of $5.76. My legislation moves to fix that.

Commuters and New Jersey drivers do not deserve the outrageous fees being charged against them. Drivers need to be treated fairly no matter what the circumstances. New Jersey is already the most expensive state in the country to live in; we cannot become the most expensive state to drive in too.”

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Murphy Passes “the Buck” on NJ Transit Train Cancellation Epidemic

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August 10,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Newark NJ, At a briefing in Newark this morning, Governor Phil Murphy vowed to resolve cancellation problems plaguing NJ Transit, .Instead of offering any solutions Murphy spent the entire press conference focusing blame on the Christie Administration .

Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Union) issued the following statement following Gov. Phil Murphy’s press conference at NJ Transit:

“New Jerseyans are tough, fair-minded people but they need information every morning to plan their day. Commuters have not received that information as to the status of trains and train delays. Blaming Chris Christie seven months into the new governor’s term does not provide the needed information for our commuters.”

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Rockland Coaches, Customers in Washington Twp : Route 495 Helix Project

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Dear Valued Customers:

We wanted to provide an update concerning the upcoming NJ DOT restoration project on the route 495 helix.  A meeting was held yesterday  with the PABT, NJ DOT, and all bus carriers.  It was announced that the construction will commence on Friday August 10th however the lane closures on 495 will not occur until Monday August 20th.  The project is anticipated to last for 2 1/2 years.
  
The dedicated bus lane will remain active through the life of the project, but regular vehicular traffic will be reduced from 4 lanes to 3 in either direction.  Although the bus lane will be open in the morning, we do anticipate delays getting to the bus lane at the junction of the NJ Turnpike.  It is still anticipated that traffic going into the City in the afternoon will be most impacted by the restoration project. The Port Authority additionally anticipates that westbound traffic on 495 will be minimally impacted throughout the course of the day.

We will unfortunately not know the true impact this project will have on the daily commute until the construction begins however we will remain in constant communication with the PABT & NJ DOT throughout the project. We again encourage you to visit restorenj495.com for further information and you can also sign up to receive email alerts related to the project on that site as well.

Thank you for your time.

Adam Rodriguez
Operations Manager
Rockland Coaches, Inc. 

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Ridgewood Shortline Park and Ride Customers : Route 495 Project

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Dear Valued Customers:

I’m sure many of you have heard about the upcoming NJ DOT restoration project on the route 495 helix. As such, we would like to take the opportunity to advise you on the information we currently have, and give you some insight on what we’ll be doing to ensure that our service is impacted as minimally as possible. NJ DOT has not finalized a start date but all indications are that the work will commence in Mid July and could potentially go on for 2 years. The dedicated bus lane will remain active through the life of the project, but regular vehicular traffic will be reduced from 4 lanes to 3 in either direction.

Although the bus lane will be open in the morning, we do anticipate delays getting to the bus lane at the junction of the NJ Turnpike, Route 3 and 495. Based on information received from our partners at the Port Authority of NY and NJ, it’s anticipated that traffic going into the City in the afternoon will be the most impacted by the restoration project. The Port Authority additionally anticipates that westbound traffic on 495 will be minimally impacted throughout the course of the day.

In anticipation of delays and potential additional ridership we are committed to the following:
The safety of our customers and staff will not be compromised with these changes
Improved real time information to be shared amongst operators and customers
Pooling of Coach USA regional resources to provide additional support on high passenger volume and gridlock days
Close engagement with our public partners so we can provide valuable feedback and potentially improve service levels

We’ll be sure to keep you updated as more information becomes available. In the interim we encourage you to visit restorenj495.com for additional information and updates.

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NJ TRANSIT BUS ROUTES FROM RIDGEWOOD TO DETOUR AS ROUTE 495 LANE CLOSURES SET TO BEGIN

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August 1,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ,  To accommodate the lane closures necessary as part of the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s (NJDOT) rehabilitation of the Route 495 Bridge over Routes 1&9 and Paterson Plank Road in North Bergen, several NJ TRANSIT local bus routes will require detours.

The Exclusive Bus Lane (XBL) will be maintained weekday mornings (6 a.m. – 10 a.m.) throughout the construction.

Beginning Friday night, August 10, the 31st Street ramp from Kennedy Boulevard to Route 495 westbound will be closed with traffic detoured onto Paterson Plank Road, directly affecting NJ TRANSIT’s local service on 18 bus routes requiring detours in the afternoon and at night. A week later, on Friday, August 17, one lane of Route 495 in each direction will be closed, limiting the roadway capacity and causing severe congestion. The construction requiring detours is anticipated to last approximately two and a half years.

· Buses will operate their regular routing westbound along 31st Street through Union City the entire span of the day.

· All current Union City bus stops on 31st Street will be served, including both Bergenline Avenue and Kennedy Boulevard.

· Between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. on weekdays, all NJ TRANSIT Buses using the 31st Street ramp will follow regular routes and continue to have access to Route 495 westbound.

· All buses between 1 p.m. and 6 a.m. the next morning will continue to use the 31st Street ramp but will be detoured onto Paterson Plank Road.

· Delays through Union City are anticipated due to increased traffic volume, and customers should plan accordingly for these delays.

Buses may encounter conditions that result in significant delays in the outbound direction during both the morning and evening peak periods.

AFFECTED BUS ROUTES

The following bus routes will be detoured between 1 p.m. and 6 a.m. daily during construction:

No. 87 Jersey City-Hoboken

No. 107 South Orange-New York

No. 108 Newark-New York

No. 111 New York-IKEA-Jersey Gardens

No. 124 Secaucus-New York

No. 127S Ridgefield-Union City-New York

No. 129 Secaucus-Union City-New York

No. 144 Elmwood Park-Hackensack-New York

No. 160 Elmwood Park-Wallington-New York

No. 161 Paterson-Passaic-New York

No. 163 Ridgewood-New York

No. 167 Harrington Park-Teaneck-New York

No. 190X Paterson-Rutherford-New York

No. 190 (local) Paterson-Rutherford-New York

No. 191 Willowbrook-Montclair-New York

No. 192 Clifton-New York

No. 195 Willowbrook-Cedar Grove-New York

No. 199 Clifton-Lyndhurst-New York

The following bus routes do not require a detour, but are expected to be impacted by delays due to increased traffic congestion:

No. 83 Hackensack-Jersey City-Journal Square

No. 85 Mill Creek-Harmon Meadow-Hoboken

No. 127 (regular) Ridgefield-Union City-New York

No. 320 Mill Creek-North Bergen Park & Ride-New York (a detour will be necessary in later stages and information will be provided in advance)

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Route 495 lane closures to begin in mid-August

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July 31,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

North Bergen NJ, New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced the lane closures necessary as part of the rehabilitation of the Route 495 Bridge over Route 1&9 and Paterson Plank Road in North Bergen are expected to begin in mid-August.

The work is scheduled to start on Friday, August 10, with the closure of the 31st Street ramp from Kennedy Boulevard to Route 495 westbound, with traffic detoured onto Patterson Plank Road. A week later, on Friday, August 17, one lane of Route 495 in each direction will be closed, limiting the roadway capacity and causing severe congestion. NJDOT will provide more detailed information as the start of the lane closures nears.

The exclusive bus lane (XBL) will remain operational during construction. This construction is expected to last for about two and a half years while the entire bridge deck, parapets, light fixtures, guiderail, and drainage are replaced. The entire project is expected to be completed in summer 2021.

The $90.3 million state-funded project began in September 2017 with local street improvements. The work in the first phase, which was necessary before the lane closures could be implemented, has been taking place under the bridge and along the Paterson Plank Road – Union Turnpike corridor.

The project to rehabilitate the nine-span viaduct includes repairs and reconstruction of the bridge deck, replacement and strengthening of deteriorated structural steel, and the repair and painting of the substructure. Construction will be accomplished in stages by first making improvements to local streets in the surrounding areas that will need to handle some of the diverted traffic during bridge construction