Route 3 bridge over Hackensack River will be open Sunday
A planned closure of the eastbound Route 3 bridge over the Hackensack River on Sunday to replace cracked steel plates has been postponed.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation had planned a full closure from 10 p.m. Saturday until 10 p.m. Sunday to complete the replacement of cracked steel plates that have kept a lane closed since Jan. 20.
In a statement, the DOT says concerns about "dangerous" winds on Sunday that may reach 55 MPH have led to a postponement of the work because of potentially hazardous workers for work crews.
Meteorologist Dan Zarrow is forecasting extreme cold on Sunday as an arctic front crosses New Jersey that will "bring even colder temperatures and even stronger winds by Sunday morning." High temperatures will be between 14° and 20° on Sunday. North Jersey could also receive 2-4 inches of snow on Saturday according to Zarrow.
DOT spokesman Stephen Shapiro said barges had been positioned during the week below the bridge with 135-foot lifts that will be used as part of a hoist system that will lower 3 new steel plates into position.
"Hopefully they'll be able to reschedule the work soon" says New Jersey Fast Traffic's Bob Williams of the postponement. "The delays have started at Route 21 approaching the bridge and drivers are looking forward to having all the lanes available again."
New Jersey Transportation Commissioner Jamie Fox ordered the bridge's right lane closed immediately after test results showed cracks had developed in the steel of two sections of a long steel beam that supports the bridge’s main span. The project was initially supposed to take 2 weeks to complete but snow slowed completion of the project
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