State DOT Closes Portions of Route 5 to Protect Road From Falling Rocks

On Monday, drivers who use Route 5 to get from Edgewater to Fort Lee during peak, weekday hours were forced to start taking the long way around, as the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) began work on a $3.8 million project to remove and stabilize loose rock along the three-tenths of a mile stretch of road.

NJDOT announced Friday it would start detouring all truck traffic on Route 5 westbound the next day as construction got underway between the Fort Lee Pump Station and Undercliff Avenue, and that the westbound lanes—or those heading from Edgewater to Fort Lee—would be closed and detoured to all traffic weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting Monday.

“The existing roadside rock outcrops consist of loose rock that has the potential to fall onto the Route 5 mainline roadway,” NJDOT officials said in a statement. “The additional, truck-climbing lane on Route 5 westbound will also be permanently closed during construction. Route 5 eastbound will remain open throughout the early stages of construction.”

But eventually a 28-day “complete closure” of the winding stretch of road—including the eastbound lanes heading out of Fort Lee—between the two boroughs is planned, according to NJDOT officials, who say they will provide advance notification of the long-term closure but had no further information on the exact timing of that closure.

For now, cars headed for Route 5 westbound from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and all trucks at all times will be detoured north on River Road, west in Fort Lee on Bruce Reynolds Boulevard, south on Martha Washington Way and south on Palisade Avenue to the convergence with Route 5.

“The westbound side of Route 5, near its eastern terminus, is bordered by a steep rock cliff,” NJDOT officials said. “Recent rock fall incidents have occurred along the cliff resulting in complete closures of the roadway. Stabilization measures, including scaling of loose rock, installation of shotcrete mortar, wire netting and rock dowels and the removal of vegetation will help stabilize the rock slope and lessen the potential hazards of falling rock.”

 “Variable message signs” will be used to inform drivers of traffic changes during construction, according to NJDOT, which said “precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors.” 

For emergency roadway information and construction schedule updates, visit NJDOT’s 511nj website.