Goffle Road Closing Entirely for PSE&G Work

Motorists who were planning to access Goffle Road over the next five days should make other plans.

The busy thoroughfare will be completely closed to regular traffic from 7 a.m. Saturday to 7 p.m. Wednesday to allow PSE&G to continue working to replace transmission lines, Sgt. Brian Pullman of the Ridgewood Police Department's Traffic Safety Bureau confirmed Friday morning.

The closure will be concentrated from Goffle's intersection with Wyckoff Avenue up to Rock Road in Hawthorne, and motorists who can't avoid Goffle Road must follow posted detours, which will filter traffic through the Coolidge School area of Wyckoff.

Traffic on the southbound side has closed off Goffle Road and Wyckoff Avenue, sending drivers up Wyckoff Avenue, where they can take Lafayette Avenue to Ravine Avenue, dropping them off almost equidistant between Rock Road and Wyckoff Avenue on Goffle Road.

Periodic closures started this week, although at least one lane of travel was maintained while utility crews worked. Wyckoff Police Chief Benjamin Fox said he "knew this was going to be a problem," especially due to the "on-again, off-again" nature of the work.

"It almost becomes literally impossible to let the motoring public know what they'll encounter on any given day," Fox said.

Local officials were consulted on the work schedule but have limited means of affecting the project. Fox said he worked on detour routes and "attempted to avoid 24-hour work," but affected towns' influence is limited due to Goffle being a county road and PSE&G a public utility.

PSE&G plans to be on scene through November, although work will not be constant. Indeed, the utility planned to suspend work over the next few days, only to notify officials in Wyckoff, Ridgewood and Hawthorne that it would need to completely shutter the roadway.

"It's hit-or-miss on whether you'll find the road open or closed" going forward, Fox said.

"It's a real problem."

Patrons theoretically have access to the many businesses along Goffle Road during closures, but "naturally, you're going to have a certain percentage of businesses affected" by the work.

"That's one of the unfortunate aspects of this," the chief said. "It's not a fun construction project."

PSE&G has paid for officers from Ridgewood and Wyckoff to be on site at all times during the project, with police monitoring construction and assisting with getting commuter buses through the road. Emergency vehicles are allowed access at all times. Wyckoff has been handling the majority of traffic thus far, but Ridgewood will be sending as much personnel as needed, Pullman said.

Generally, PSE&G plans to keep one lane of travel open, with access to businesses available. Residents who live off the affected portion of Goffle would be able to access their homes via Goffle northbound or southbound, but not from both approaches.

Any affected residents or merchants with questions can call PSE&G's Fox McQuillen at 843-247-7567.