What to Know
- Several NJ TRANSIT local bus routes will require detours as work begins on the rehabilitation of the Route 495 Bridge.
- These changes are expected to cause severe congestion and delays for commuters over the next two-and-a-half years.
- Service changes will begin on August 10 when the 31st Street ramp closes, causing detours for 18 local bus routes.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation has announced that several NJ Transit local bus routes will require detours as work begins on the rehabilitation of the Route 495 Bridge over routes 1 and 9 and Paterson Plank Road in North Bergen.
These changes are expected to cause severe congestion and delays for commuters over the next two-and-a-half years.
Beginning 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 August 17, one lane of Route 495 in each direction will be closed, limiting the roadway capacity and causing severe congestion.
The exclusive bus lane will be maintained weekday mornings, 6 a.m. until 10 a.m., throughout construction.
Additional changes include:
Local
• 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)
For more information about the Route 495 Bridge rehabilitation or to sign up for news alerts on the construction, check the NJDOT's project-specific website.
