Permanent new Route 45 configuration
takes shape in Woodbury
‘Complete Streets’ project retrofits highway to provide pedestrian safety and congestion relief
(Trenton) - NJDOT officials today announced that a ‘Complete Streets’ inspired project to improve pedestrian safety and mobility while relieving vehicular congestion along a 0.8-mile stretch of Route 45 in Woodbury City is advancing towards completion.
The Department opened the new-look highway over the weekend. Route 45 has been permanently reconfigured as a new section of roadway designed to safely accommodate all users of the road, providing one travel lane in each direction with a dual-use center left-turn lane and a new multi-use bike lane. Previously, Route 45 had carried two travel lanes in each direction through downtown Woodbury.
In order to perform final paving and striping operations, NJDOT’s contractor, South State Inc., will implement a series of full closures of Route 45 between Evergreen Avenue and Red Bank Avenue this week. The highway will be closed in both directions on Tuesday, October 23 and Wednesday, October 24 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning.
• Route 45 northbound will be detoured at Evergreen Avenue to Red Bank Avenue back to Route 45.
• Route 45 southbound will be detoured to Cooper Street (CR 704) to Evergreen Avenue to Route 45 at 8 p.m., then starting around 11 p.m. Route 45 southbound will be closed at Red Bank Avenue and detoured to Evergreen Avenue back to Route 45.
• Side-street paving operations will take place overnight on Thursday, October 25 but that work is not expected to impact Route 45.
The $1.4 million project was initiated through local concerns about pedestrian safety and heavy congestion at existing intersections without left-turn provisions. Access to local businesses and properties has been maintained during construction.
NJDOT adopted its Complete Streets policy in December 2009 and in August 2012 it was ranked strongest statewide policy in the nation by the National Complete Streets Coalition. New Jersey’s Complete Streets policy requires all major NJDOT roadway projects in the future to include accommodations for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users and the mobility impaired. This policy is implemented through the planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation of new or rehabilitated transportation facilities within public rights-of-way.
Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for construction updates and real-time travel information.
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