Ramsey Station railroad crossing safety improvement project requires Main Street closure this week

Traffic to be detoured while surface improvements are completed

Beginning at 7 a.m., Wednesday, August 2, until 7 p.m. Thursday, August 10, the two-way traffic on Main Street is scheduled to be closed at the NJ TRANSIT railroad crossing between North Central Avenue and Church Street. The existing railroad crossing will be removed and replaced with a new concrete crossing and asphalt approach. The following detours will remain in place:

Main Street eastbound Detour:

• Motorists traveling east on Main Street will make a left onto North Central Avenue
• Bear right onto Gertzen Plaza
• Make a right onto Church Street at the intersection
• Continue south on Church Street to Main Street

Main Street westbound Detour:

• Motorists traveling west on Main Street make a right onto Church Street
• Make a left onto Gertzen Plaza at the intersection
• Continue south on Gertzen Plaza which become North Central Avenue to Main Street

The traffic detour will be coordinated with the local police. If work is completed earlier, the roadway will be reopened accordingly.

NJDOT has been working closely with NJ TRANSIT, the Federal Railway Administration, and Ramsey officials to improve safety at this crossing. The new crossing surface is part of a larger safety project that began in June and is expected to be completed by the end of the summer at an estimated cost of $566,000.

Many of the improvements, including new vehicle gates and new pedestrian gates with LED lights on them that span the length of the sidewalk have been installed, as well as audible warning devices at the pedestrian crossing. During the surface improvements this week, an overhead arm with flashing LED signals and gate skirts that come down to prevent pedestrians from going underneath the gate when it is down, will be installed.

The existing crossings will be replaced with new concrete crossings and asphalt approaches during this phase of the project, along with extending sidewalks and updating fence mounted pedestrian warning signage. Final electrical work and testing will take place to complete the project this summer.

While the improvements at the Ramsey station will enhance safety, NJDOT reminds motorists and pedestrians they have a responsibility to obey all railroad warning lights, gates and signals, and to exercise caution when approaching any railroad-crossing.

This federally-funded project is included within NJDOT’s railroad grade-crossing safety program which repairs, upgrades, or removes approximately 30 crossings each year, statewide.

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