Traffic & Transit

Road Work On Rt. 46 In Essex, Passaic Counties Will Last 2 Months

Overnight lane closures will begin on July 13 and last for about two months. Here's what to know.

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Several weeks of overnight lane closures are scheduled to begin on a stretch of Route 46 in Essex and Passaic counties next week.

According to the New Jersey Department of Transportation, a single lane will be closed on the eastbound and westbound portions of the highway at the following locations:

  • Route 46 eastbound between the ramp to Fairfield Road (mile post 54.5) in Fairfield, Essex County and just past Lower Notch Road (mile post 59.08) in Little Falls, Passaic County
  • Route 46 westbound between Lower Notch Road (mile post 59.08) in Little Falls and Fairfield Road/CR 679 (mile post 55.5) in Wayne, Passaic County

The road work will begin at 8 p.m. Monday, July 13 and stop at 6 a.m. Tuesday, July 14. The overnight closures will then continue Monday through Friday nights for about two months.

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At least one lane will remain open during construction, state transportation officials said.

NJDOT officials added:

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“At 10 p.m., a second lane will be closed on sections of the roadway where there are more than two lanes in each direction. Construction is expected in the right lane(s) and move to the left lane(s), as work progresses. Crews will be working in one direction at a time.”

The work is part of the $4.6 million federally funded Route 46, Fairfield Avenue to Rifle Camp Road (CR 633) pavement preservation project that will improve pavement conditions on approximately four and a half miles on Route 46 in Essex and Passaic counties.

Improvements include milling, paving and resurfacing the roadway with high-performance thin overlay. The project will also reset stormwater inlet facilities, where needed.

According to the state transportation department, the lane closures are necessary to remove rumble strips, raised pavement markings and roadway striping, before milling, paving and resurfacing take place.

Motorists are advised to slow down, use caution and expect delays when traveling through the work zone, officials said.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors.

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