Can Rte. 46 be saved?

Its bridges are ornate and decorative. But they're also decaying and crumbling. Traffic moves freely -- most days -- along the 75-mile corridor. But it snarls in the short exit ramps and narrow parking lots. If it were a car, Route 46 would be a relic. Instead, it's one of the state's busiest, most accident-prone highways, and many believe it needs an overhaul.

While the state plans to spend more than $200 million to fix sections in Bergen, Passaic and Essex counties, local officials fear much of the highway will remain a frayed string of aging sprawl that's unsafe and ugly. "You have cars pulling out of the parking lots right into highway with no deceleration lanes, so we have our fair share of accidents," said Gary Brugger, a South Hackensack committeeman. "It's something that's there and we have to deal with it."

In 2000, Route 46's crash rate was the third highest among state roads that are 20 miles or longer, and 10th highest in 2004. It regularly tops the crash-rate list among all highways that carry 100,000 cars a day, or more.

In some spots, Route 46 averages more than 130,000 cars a day, according to state Department of Transportation statistics. Excluding interstates, only Route 3 has more vehicles. In Totowa, traffic has increased 15 percent since 2001. State officials believe maintenance work could reverse the road's dangerous trend. Transportation Commissioner Kris Kolluri has made repairing -- not expanding -- state highways a priority since he took over in January, and Route 46 is a target.

The DOT is rebuilding and repairing bridges, exit ramps and interchanges in seven locations on Route 46 in the three counties. The department also sent maintenance staff to Lodi this week after receiving reports of concrete debris falling from a bridge. In Ridgefield Park, the DOT installed an island in the middle of the busy highway to prevent cars from making left turns. Just this past week, bridge work at the Route 80, 46 and 23 interchange in Wayne was completed, reopening a lane of traffic on Route 46.

The DOT expects to complete all of its Route 46 rehabilitation projects by 2010. "All that is an example of not only our fix-it-first approach, but also how we're examining whole corridors at a time," said Erin Phalon, a DOT spokeswoman. "It's not just a Band-Aid approach to it."

Others, however, doubt Route 46 can return to what it was 30 and 40 years ago, when it was the only highway that directly connected Bergen and Passaic counties with the Delaware Water Gap and Pennsylvania. Back then, businesses moved in, thinking it was a golden opportunity for exposure. Local officials hoped the highway would siphon traffic from their clogged streets. But watchdog groups say the road -- like many of New Jersey's aging highways -- has become an afterthought since Route 80 was finished 30 years ago and pulled traffic away from Route 46. Not only has the highway deteriorated, advocates say, it's become outdated. The road lacks acceleration and deceleration lanes at exit ramps, forcing cars to speed into traffic as they enter a highway.

"Much of it is pretty junky looking," said Jeffrey Zupan, a senior fellow at the Regional Plan Association. "Since [Route 80 was finished], a lot of the businesses that thrived on that road have dried up and the road hasn't been worked on." Although the state has begun work on several Route 46 rehabilitation projects, problems remain. Along the highway, intersections are tight, and the shoulders are narrow -- or non-existent. Trucks knock over light poles as they turn onto local streets. Cars squeeze through fast-moving traffic as they make left turns onto the highway.

Elsewhere, entry ramps lack markers that would direct traffic to the highway. Similar to Lodi, Ridgefield Park officials say they've seen concrete debris fall from the underside of the road's Hackensack River bridge. "The Hackensack River bridge itself -- that's going to be a major project," said Ridgefield Park Mayor George Fosdick. "They assure us it is structurally sound, but we say, 'OK, we have some problems, so you should look at it.' "

Motorists, meanwhile, struggle to pull into parking lots as aggressive drivers ride close to their bumpers. Widening the road would help, but many oppose it, because they don't have the property to spare. Mike Vicchio, manager of a cellphone store in Lodi, said motorists "almost kill themselves" as they try to make a last-second turn into his narrow parking lot. At least one accident a month takes place outside. He wishes it was the type of business that could attract a walk-in crowd. But on Route 46, it's impossible. "Here, you've got to depend on the car," he said. "That's New Jersey for you." Some local officials say they're pleased with the DOT's plans, saying they correct at least some of the highway's lingering problems. Citing money and logistical concerns, they realize that not all of the road's deficiencies can be easily wiped away.

Little Falls Mayor Eugene Kulick said motorists have long struggled to enter Route 46 from Browertown Road. Now the state is nearly done with a $50.8 million project that will lengthen acceleration and deceleration lanes and exit ramps, and provide access for businesses, bicyclists and pedestrians. "I'm happy," he said. "It's never going to be 100 percent better, but it'll be a lot better than it was." But other motorists, such as John Slomko of Lodi, a former UPS driver, say they'll still fear for their safety when they enter the roadway, or when they drive under Route 46's aging overpasses and bridges. After they've watched bridges in Lodi and Ridgefield Park decay for years, they wonder: Where will the state get the money to repair all of it? "Everybody is just waiting for it," said Slomko. "If it happens, it happens."

Many local officials and residents say Route 46 is outdated and in decline. Here are projects, under way and planned, to fix some of the problems.

1. Fairfield and Two Bridges roads, Fairfield
• Construction: November 2004 - November 2006
• Cost: $11.3 million
Work: New signs, striping and acceleration and deceleration lanes (99 percent complete).

2. Routes 46/23/I-80 Interchange, Wayne
• Construction: Fall 2005 - February 2008
• Cost: $69.6 million
Work: Bridge deck replacement and resurfacing, new signs, lighting, guide rails and acceleration and deceleration lanes (2 percent complete).

3. Union Boulevard (Route 62), Totowa
• Construction: March 2005 - October 2007
• Cost: $38.9 million
Work: Bridge replacement, reconstructed intersection and ramps and new acceleration and deceleration lanes (75 percent complete).

4. Peckman River Bridge, Little Falls
• Construction: July 2004 - May 2007
• Cost: $9.3 million
Work: Bridge replacement (90 percent complete).

5. Browertown Road Interchange, Little Falls and West Paterson
• Construction: June 2004 - February 2007
• Cost: $50.8 million
Work: Reconstructed ramps and acceleration and deceleration lanes (95 percent complete).

6. Van Houten Avenue/Grove Street Interchange, Clifton
• Construction: November 2004 - November 2006
• Cost: $25.7 million
Work: Bridge replacement, reconstructed intersection and ramps and new acceleration and deceleration lanes (75 percent complete).

7. Saddle River and Main Street Bridge, Lodi
• Construction: Spring 2008 - Spring 2010
• Cost: $40.3 million
Work: Drainage improvements, bridge replacement, new ramps and acceleration and deceleration lanes.

8. Ridgefield Park
• Construction: Fall 2006 (completed)
• Cost: $1.7 million
Work: Resurfacing and installation of an island in the middle of the roadway.

end welfare permanently, and this nation will have the tax dollars needed to fix our roads.

4 posted on 01/01/2007 11:41:14 AM PST by television is just wrong (Our sympathies are misguided with illegal aliens...)

Yep. And what are they going to do with the Pulaski Skyway.

It's a bummer getting old!

5 posted on 01/01/2007 11:46:18 AM PST by Incorrigible (If I lead, follow me; If I pause, push me; If I retreat, kill me.)

I'm in northern Morris County as 46 runs through Parsippany, Mountain Lakes, Denville, Rockaway and Dover...some tough spots therein (esp. when it goes down to one lane in Rockaway) but I guess we're better off than parts of Bergen and Passaic.

In morris county it's not too bad; however, when you go east, past Willowbrook Mall, the road becomes terrible. The traffic is bad from Totowa until Fort Lee. There are just too many strip malls, (as a matter of fact, most of rt. 46 is that--one giant strip mall), traffic through Totowa, W. Paterson and little falls, then all the lights start in Clifton and then in Bergen County the lights continue. It's just one bad road. The politicians portion out project piecemeal just to keep the citizens begging for more improvements. Notice how projects are announced during election time.

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