Department of Transportation

Traffic Mitigation Plan

The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) recognizes that a project of this magnitude requires a carefully planned, designed and implemented construction traffic mitigation plan to provide safe traffic flow through the project area. The process of developing the project's Traffic Mitigation Plan (TM) Plan is consistent with the requirements called for under NJDOT's publication on Traffic Mitigation Guidelines for Work Zone Safety and Mobility (2007).

Underlying the development of the TM Plan are the following objectives:

  • Maintain at acceptable levels the flow of traffic through the construction area.
  • Minimize travel delays experienced by motorists during construction.
  • Educate the public about the purpose, objectives and benefits of the project.
  • Encourage motorists to use transit and other alternative modes and educate travelers about the benefits of these modes.
  • Reduce the number of incidents within the construction area.

To meet the above mitigation objectives, various traffic, highway, geometric and programmatic measures will be evaluated with input from Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from state, regional and local agencies. The TM Plan measures involve:

  • Public information program to include: public information meetings; brochures; news releases; media advertising; participation at community events and opening an information center near the project site.
  • Motorist information program to include: use of Dynamic Messaging Signs (DMS); preconstruction signage; maintain existing closed circuit TV (CCTV); highway advisory radio; advance information panel signs and travel advisories through various media including commercial radio/TV feeds, Transportation Management Associations (TMAs), major employer sites, affected institution sites, project web site, etc. Coordination with Newark Bears, New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Prudential Center and Red Bull Arena.
  • Travel Demand Management (TDM) program to maximize lane capacities by reducing the volume of traffic through the construction area. The program will possibly include: ridesharing marketing, incentives and support services; transit incentives and service enhancements; park and ride facility management/expansion and employer outreach.
  • Coordination with communities and other stakeholders to establish construction hours and obtain variances for noise abatement. This includes coordinating traffic control plans and construction activities involving other major highway work including but not limited to the Route 21/Chester Street Bridge rehabilitation.
  • Mitigation actions to avoid or reduce construction impacts to local businesses.
  • Incident management program to include: increased number of safety service patrols to assist stranded motorists and clear incidents; use of standby mobile command vehicle for use during major accidents; use of a standby truck with mounted attenuator to clear incidents quickly and safely. Event plans should also be developed for managing traffic around major events occurring in the project vicinity.

Coordination with various NJDOT, regional and municipal projects in the are also on-going. Construction stages are being designed to maintain as many lanes as exists today during peak commute periods.

Updated information about project progress and site conditions will be provided via the project web site and other forms of communication.



Last updated date: October 21, 2020 12:50 PM